FG ACCUSED OF USING ARIK’S TAKE OVER AS RUSE TO SET UP NATIONAL CARRIER

the help of truckloads of armed policemen, barely 24 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had invited the chairman of the suspended board, Mr. Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide.

The suspended management of the company has vowed to challenge the action in court.

ACAP cited the propaganda that was being fed to the public by AMCON, including the figures being bandied about as Arik’s debts and the allegation that the airline owed eight months salaries before its take over last week, whereas its workers, the group said, had confirmed they were owed only two months salary.

“We know that the airline has faced some challenges lately and some passengers have even expressed concern about its services. But cutting off the head is not the cure for a headache,” the association said in a statement signed by Justin Nwokolo, secretary of ACAP.

ACAP alleged that the action of AMCON was to preempt a crucial meeting the suspended management of the airline was scheduled to have with Afrexim Bank in Cairo, Egypt, this week on a loan facility to refinance its operations, which have been hampered by the forex crisis.

According to the association, “We strongly believe this course of action is motivated by the pursuit of a cabal’s selfish interest masquerading as public good with the deployment of a ruthless propaganda machine to give it a gloss.

“How laughable that the same Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) hired the erstwhile Deputy Managing Director of the same management it accused of ‘poor corporate governance’ as new CEO of AERO Contractors on the very day it forcibly took over the company. Who is fooling who?

“The agenda is to bring together Arik Air and AERO to form what they call a new national carrier and bring in Ethiopian Airways as technical partner.

“What a shame! We bring a smaller country like Ethiopia to run a national carrier for Nigeria, the supposed Giant of Africa? If government could run an airline, Nigeria Airways would not have gone under.”

ACAP added that it was aware President Muhammadu Buhari had made it clear to government officials behind the agenda that it would be gravely unjust and ungodly to take over anybody’s business under whatever guise.

“In the interest of justice, the public needs to be enlightened on the genesis of AMCON’s dispute with the suspended management of Arik Air over