Chief Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, the founder of Arik Air, was reportedly prevented from entering the airline’s Lagos airport headquarters on Tuesday.
Arumemi had arrived at the entrance of the premises with his aides to gain access, following a recent court order granting him the right to the airline that had been taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) since 2017. However, security officials denied him entry, despite the court order.
AMCON had appointed a receiver manager, Kamilu Omokhide, for the airline after taking over, prompting Arumemi to file an originating motion dated December 14, 2021.
The motion sought an order directing the defendants to allow the directors and shareholders of Arik Air Ltd unfettered access to their offices, premises, facilities, and staff required for the discharge of their functions.
The court ruled that the receivership of Arik Air did not preclude restricting access to the premises.
When Arumemi attempted to enter the premises of the airline on Tuesday, the security guards on duty informed him that they had received an order from the receiver manager not to allow him in.
Despite pleading with them, the security officials refused him entry, citing strict instructions from the receiver manager. Arumemi then proceeded to the police division at the airport to write a statement, promising to report back to his lawyers, who would take up the matter from there.
Speaking to the media, Arumemi declared, “I was in the Arik Complex today under the order of the federal high court in the suit no FHC/L/CS/1175/2021 that I should be given unfettered access into my offices in Arik Air offices order to perform my duties with my team.
The court affirmed that notwithstanding the appointment of a Receiver Manager, the organs of Arik Air remain intact and those organs such as the Board and Shareholders must be allowed to function.”
He added, “Being aware of the service of the order of the court on the company and having met the management led by Capt Roy Ilegbodu (CEO) on Wednesday 4th April 2023 with whom I discussed the orders made by the court and our intentions to adhere strictly to including the orders of the court to be given office spaces.
We both agreed that the orders of the Court must be obeyed. We agreed that I and my team will resume this morning 11th April 2023 to my greatest surprise and shock I was barred entry by the CSO, Mr Tom West who claimed that he has strict instructions from the Receiver Manager Mr Kamilu Omokide to deny me and my team access contrary to the orders of the court.”
Arumemi further stated that he had tried to persuade the security officials by presenting certified copies of the court order, which had been earlier served on Arik Air.
However, his attempts were discountenanced. He concluded by saying, “As a law-abiding citizen, we decided not to press any further by ourselves but rather fall back to the processes of the law by reporting to appropriate authorities.”
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