*Says “I Missed A ₦45m Deed Of Assignment Transaction Because Of The Delay”
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A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr. Chukwudi Nneke, has sued Air Peace Limited at the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged repeated delays and rescheduling of his flights between Lagos and Owerri in September, claiming 50 million naira in compensation and the refund of 129,000 naira in expenses.
The suit, numbered FHC/LAG/CS/1345/2026, was dated 2 October 2026 and filed on 3 October 2026.
In his statement of claim, the plaintiff describes himself as a legal practitioner and human rights crusader of Destiny Plaza, KM 45, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Alfa Bus Stop, Sangotedo, Lagos. He describes the defendant as a company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission which provides scheduled passenger air transport, aircraft charter services and cargo transport, with its head office at No. 25, Sobo Arobiodu Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
The plaintiff pleads that he had important and time-sensitive business engagements which necessitated his travelling to Owerri on 2 September 2026 and returning on 4 September 2026, and that “these dates were intentionally selected having considered scheduled business meetings and opportunities.”
He was scheduled to travel on Flight P47154 from Lagos to Owerri at 2.35 p.m. on 2 September, but he and other passengers were informed that the flight had been rescheduled to 6.15 p.m.
“Unfortunately, even before the rescheduled departure time, passengers were further informed that the flight had been delayed,” the claim states. “The Plaintiff was therefore kept at the airport for several hours, incurring unplanned expenses on feeding and other necessities, particularly given the considerably high cost of goods and services within the airport environment.”
He pleads that he boarded at about 10 p.m. and arrived in Owerri a few minutes after 11 p.m., and that the late arrival and prevailing security concerns compelled him to incur the additional cost of securing accommodation at the nearest decent hotel rather than proceeding with his business journey.
“The late departure and late arrival denied the Plaintiff the opportunity to meet up with his business plans, and caused him to incur avoidable additional costs,” the claim states.
“Regrettably, the same situation repeated on the Plaintiff’s return journey,” the claim continues.
On 4 September the plaintiff was scheduled to travel from Owerri to Lagos on Flight P47157, departing at 3.55 p.m. The flight was rescheduled to 6.20 p.m., and before that time passengers were again informed that it had been further delayed. He pleads that he eventually boarded a few minutes after 10 p.m. and arrived in Lagos after 11 p.m.
The plaintiff pleads that on 4 September he had a business engagement to prepare a Deed of Assignment and present it for execution by 6 p.m., “upon which he expected to receive professional fees amounting to 10% of the sum of N45,000,000.00.”
“However, as a result of the Defendant’s actions, the Plaintiff was unable to execute the said plan, thereby frustrating his business engagement and depriving him of the anticipated professional fees,” the claim states, adding that he will rely at trial on a WhatsApp conversation with a client over the anticipated transaction.
The claim itemises the expenses said to have been incurred.
For the late arrival on 2 September, the plaintiff pleads additional expenses of 25,000 naira for hotel accommodation and 6,400 naira for feeding.
He pleads that in order to meet the scheduled flight time he spent the night at Santiero Hotels and Suites intending to leave for the airport at about noon, but was compelled to extend his stay until 3 p.m., incurring an additional hotel charge of 10,000 naira, together with the cost of two meals taken at the hotel.
He further pleads that his luggage was retrieved close to midnight, and that due to the late arrival and attendant security concerns he was compelled to pay 120,000 naira for the airport cab that took him home, where the journey would ordinarily have cost about 45,000 naira. “The additional expenditure was incurred solely as a consequence of the late arrival.”
“Before the Plaintiff could wait for and retrieve his luggage, he had already been subjected to considerable delay and inconvenience,” the claim adds.
The plaintiff pleads that having passed through what he calls undeserved hardship, he engaged the services of Top Page Solicitors to write to the defendant, by a letter dated 16 September 2026 which was sent to the company’s published email address on 17 September 2026, and that he will rely on that letter at trial.
He also pleads that during the period of the delay and repeated rescheduling he communicated his dissatisfaction with the defendant’s services through his personal email and brought his grievances to the defendant’s attention.
“Beyond the financial expenses, the repeated delays and disruptions substantially interfered with the Plaintiff’s business engagements and caused loss of valuable business opportunities in both Owerri and Lagos,” the claim states. “The circumstances also exposed him to avoidable security risks and considerable inconvenience.”
The plaintiff claims an order directing the defendant to pay him 50,000,000 naira “as compensation for the untold hardship, exposure to security risks and loss of business opportunities occasioned by the Defendant’s actions.”
He also claims an order directing the defendant to refund 129,000 naira, being expenses incurred on transportation in the sum of 75,000 naira, hotel accommodation in the sum of 35,000 naira and feeding in the sum of 19,000 naira.
He further claims interest at 21 per cent per annum upon judgment until the judgment sum is finally liquidated, and the cost of the action.
The process is signed by Mr. Joachim Agha and Mr. Chukwudi Nneke of Top Page Solicitors as the plaintiff’s counsel, and is endorsed for service on the defendant at its Ikeja address.
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