Achimugu explained that Air Peace maintained that the issue originated during passenger profiling at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that Air Peace has agreed to refund passengers affected by the controversial Lagos–Jamaica travel disruption that left dozens stranded and deported from Barbados, following direct intervention by the aviation regulator.
The update was provided on Friday by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, in a detailed post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
According to Achimugu, the resolution followed a phone conversation he held earlier in the day with the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, during which he relayed “the testimonies and plight of the airline’s passengers who were bound for Jamaica, but ended up in Barbados from where they were deported.”
Achimugu explained that Air Peace maintained that the issue originated during passenger profiling at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
“He maintains that, during profiling in Lagos, it was discovered that some passengers did not have the necessary travel documents to make the Lagos–Antigua–Jamaica flight,” Achimugu wrote.
According to the airline, affected passengers were offered refunds at that point but declined, choosing instead to travel to Barbados, which is visa-free for Nigerians.
“Therefore, the airline offered to refund their fares, but the passengers declined that option and offered instead to proceed to Barbados which is a visa-free destination,” Achimugu said, citing the airline’s explanation.
According to the post, the Air Peace chairman further stated that the airline had already paid for onward tickets from Antigua to Jamaica on Liat Air but had to alter plans because the affected passengers would not have been cleared via Antigua.
Achimugu disclosed that not all passengers were denied entry into Jamaica, countering some narratives circulating publicly.
“One thing the passengers did not tell the Authority during our phone calls was that 67 passengers were actually allowed to go on to Jamaica,” he said.
He added that the remaining 25 passengers were stopped by immigration authorities for various reasons.
“The 25 held back were those who could not convince the immigration authorities. Some of them did not have onward tickets to Jamaica, some of them could not show proof of up to 100 dollars in their possession. Others provided unsatisfactory answers about their accommodation in Jamaica,” Achimugu stated.
The Air Peace chairman reportedly expressed frustration over what he described as misrepresentation of facts and said the airline was prepared to defend itself legally if necessary.
“The airline says that it is prepared to prove its case and proceed to court if the ‘truth’ is not told,” Achimugu wrote.
He quoted the chairman as asking rhetorically: “You know the volume of refunds and compensations we do. How much is refund for 25 passengers that we cannot do, if the airline owes them the refunds? We flew them to Barbados and back to Nigeria, after all.”
Despite the conflicting accounts, Achimugu said the NCAA opted for mediation rather than a prolonged dispute, citing the need to protect the aviation industry’s image.
“At the NCAA, we try to find balance and resolve some cases via simple mediation. Some events are not so great for the brand we are building for this industry,” he noted.
He revealed that he appealed directly to the Air Peace chairman to approve refunds as a goodwill gesture.
“I called on the chairman to, in the spirit of the season and because we have loads of other cases to treat, have the airline do a refund to the affected passengers. He has agreed to do this,” Achimugu announced.
He confirmed that arrangements are underway, adding, “The passengers will now be refunded. I am awaiting feedback on how the refunds will be processed.”
Addressing public pressure for an emotional response, Achimugu stressed that aviation disputes must be guided by law and evidence.
“Ignorance is no excuse in law,” he said.
He noted that while passengers alleged they were coerced into flying to Barbados or risk losing their money, no proof had been presented.
“They have provided no evidence of this allegation. The airline claims otherwise. It is a case of he-said, she-said,” he stated.
Achimugu also questioned why passengers accepted the Barbados flight if it was truly unacceptable.
“The passengers who reached out to investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, should have declined to travel from Lagos. If the airline failed to refund them, their case would have been stronger,” he argued.
While welcoming the refund decision, Achimugu made it clear that regulatory action is still ongoing.
“The NCAA is still going ahead with an LOI to the airline, and will interpret the regulations to avoid a reoccurrence of this kind of issue,” he said.
He added that Air Peace is open to scrutiny and could face penalties if found in breach.
“If the airline is found culpable on some points, sanctions will apply.”
The development brings temporary relief to affected passengers, even as broader questions about passenger documentation, airline responsibility, and immigration enforcement continue to generate debate within Nigeria’s aviation sector.