Air Peace has refuted allegations by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) that he was extorted and unfairly denied boarding, asserting that the former Edo State governor arrived late for his flight and did not check in online as claimed.

In a statement on Monday, Air Peace Operations Manager Ayodeji Adeyemi described Oshiomhole’s accusations as “false allegations” possibly driven by personal motives. “Oshiomhole came late for his flight — that’s established, and he didn’t deny it. He arrived at the airport requesting to board when the flight had closed,” Adeyemi said.

The airline dismissed Oshiomhole’s claim of online check-in, stating that their backend systems, which automatically generate boarding passes, showed no record of the senator’s check-in. “He never checked in online. If he did, he should produce the boarding pass. His name wasn’t on our manifest or checked-in list,” Adeyemi added, challenging Oshiomhole’s televised display of his phone as an attempt to sway public opinion.

Detailing the timeline, Adeyemi noted that Oshiomhole arrived after 6:00 AM for a 6:30 AM flight, when check-in had closed 45 minutes prior, per standard policy. “The aircraft door was already shut when he arrived,” he said.

Addressing a viral video showing an Air Peace staff speaking with Oshiomhole in a secluded area of the terminal, Adeyemi clarified, “Nobody cornered him. Given his status, our official courteously explained that he had missed the flight and could board the next one at 8:30 AM by changing his ticket and paying applicable fees.”

On allegations of extortion, Adeyemi emphasized that charging a “no-show” fee for missed flights and fare differences for rebooking is standard aviation practice, not extortion. He also debunked Oshiomhole’s reference to two women facing similar issues, stating they were not booked on the same flight.

Air Peace urged the public to disregard the senator’s claims, maintaining that their operations adhere to industry regulations.