*Forced To Buy $3,668 Ethiopian Airlines Ticket After Boarding Denial
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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, has filed a lawsuit against Qatar Airways at the Federal High Court, Abuja, demanding N500 million in general damages and over $500,000 in special and exemplary damages for alleged breach of contract and denial of boarding.
In a writ of summons dated January 19, 2026, the legal luminary accused the international airline of abandoning him at airports in Doha, Qatar, and Toronto, Canada, without the promised transit visa assistance, hotel accommodation, and other support services.
According to court documents, Okutepa had purchased a business class return ticket from Qatar Airways for an Abuja-Toronto-Abuja trip scheduled for October 29 to November 10, 2025, to attend the 2025 Annual Conference of the International Bar Association (IBA) in Toronto, Canada.
The plaintiff stated that his decision to patronize Qatar Airways was influenced by promotional emails from the airline promising a transit visa to Doha, hotel accommodation in Doha, and other perquisites as part of the ticket package.
Okutepa averred that he complied with all of Qatar Airways’ requirements, including submitting his passport and other documents for processing of the transit visa within 24 hours of the airline’s request. Qatar Airways subsequently sent him a booking confirmation email, including a Stopover for the Purpose of Connection (STPC) confirmation receipt detailing his accommodation at the Millenium Plaza Doha Hotel.
On October 29, 2025, Okutepa checked in at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and boarded the Abuja-Doha flight without incident. However, upon arrival at Doha International Airport around 10 p.m. local time, he was informed by Qatar Airways ground staff that no transit visa had been processed for him.
Despite having confirmation of hotel accommodation, the plaintiff was unable to access the hotel and had to endure an agonizing 8-hour layover at the Doha International Airport. During this period, he incurred feeding and incidental expenses totaling USD 500.
The plaintiff stated that Qatar Airways’ staff repeatedly assured him the visa would be ready before his onward journey, but this proved false.
After completing his five-day participation at the IBA Conference in Toronto, Okutepa returned early to Toronto Pearson International Airport on November 10, 2025, for his scheduled 8:10 p.m. Toronto-Doha flight.
To his greatest dismay, Qatar Airways staff at the check-in counter refused to check him in for the flight, citing that he did not have the required transit visa to Doha—the same visa the airline had promised to provide.
The plaintiff stated that he explained to the airline’s officers that provision of the transit visa was Qatar Airways’ responsibility and obligation under their contract of carriage. He asserted that the airline should not use its own failure as justification for denying him boarding.
When all appeals and entreaties were rejected, Qatar Airways demanded that Okutepa pay USD 5,000 as a fee for changes to be made to his ticket. When he refused to yield to what he described as an “unreasonable demand,” he was denied boarding and left stranded at the Toronto airport.
Unable to board his flight, Okutepa left the Qatar Airways counter at about 11 p.m. and headed to the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel, where he paid USD 224.95 for one night’s accommodation.
On the morning of November 11, 2025, he had to purchase a fresh Ethiopian Airlines Business Class ticket for USD 3,668.13 to enable him depart Toronto and be reunited with his family and loved ones in Nigeria.
In his statement of claim, Okutepa is seeking:
Declarative Reliefs:
- A declaration that a binding contract of carriage was created between him and Qatar Airways upon purchase of the electronic ticket
- A declaration that Qatar Airways’ failure to provide the agreed transit visa constitutes a fundamental breach of contract
- A declaration that the airline’s conduct amounts to negligence and breach of duty of care
- A declaration that Qatar Airways’ decision to prevent him from boarding the November 10, 2025 Toronto-Doha flight was deliberate, unwarranted, unconscionable, premeditated, insensitive, condemnable, callous, and actionable
Injunctive Orders:
- An order compelling Qatar Airways to publish a clear and well-worded written apology in a national newspaper in Nigeria and on its website for the embarrassment, avoidable expenses, emotional stress, psychological torture, and untold hardship
- An order mandating the airline to publish an undertaking on its website that its business operations and customer care culture shall comply with international best practices, corporate social responsibility, and decent corporate governance standards
Monetary Claims:
- Special damages of USD 7,309.08 (broken down as: USD 2,416 for unused portion of ticket; USD 500 for expenses at Doha airport; USD 224.95 for Toronto hotel; USD 500 for Toronto expenses; USD 3,668.13 for Ethiopian Airlines ticket)
- General damages of N500 million
- Exemplary and aggravated damages of USD 500,000
- Interest at 21% per annum from November 10, 2025 until judgment, then 15% per annum until final liquidation
- Cost of the action: N50 million
Chief Jibrin Samuel Okutepa is described in the court documents as a legal practitioner of long standing and a member of various national and international organizations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA), International Bar Association (IBA), African Bar Association, Pan African Lawyers Association, and African Regional Forum (IBA).
He was appointed a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2001 and conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on August 26, 2011. He is also a member of the Body of Benchers, the highest decision-making body in the legal profession in Nigeria.
Okutepa is additionally the holder of two traditional chieftaincy titles: Otunba Olumofin of Ekinrin-Adde, Kogi State (conferred December 22, 2023) and Ochoudo 1 of Edem-Ani, Ogwugwu Ancient Kingdom (conferred November 18, 2025).
The senior lawyer stated that he has been attending the annual conference of the International Bar Association since 2009 as part of his commitment to continuous legal education and self-development, and that he had never experienced anything close to the emotional, psychological, mental, and financial trauma he suffered at the hands of Qatar Airways between October 29 and November 10, 2025.
In a letter dated November 14, 2025, Okutepa’s solicitors, A.A. Malik, SAN & Co., escalated his harrowing experience to Qatar Airways with clear and unambiguous demands arising from the wrong he suffered. However, up till the time of instituting the action, Qatar Airways has allegedly failed, refused, or neglected to respond to the letter or comply with the demands contained therein.
JSO V. QATAR AIRWAYSThe case has been assigned suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/109/2026 at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division.
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