The chief protocol officer of the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, has written a petition to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, asking for punitive measures to be taken against Air Peace over its refusal to delay its scheduled Lagos-Kano flight in order to carry the monarch.

In a petition signed by Isa Bayero, a nephew to the emir who serves as chief protocol officer, the palace said the airline delayed their Banjul to Lagos flight by over one hour and refused to allow them board their connecting flight to Kano because they arrived Lagos 30 minutes before departure time.

“We, 10 of us, including His Highness Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Sarkin Kano and four other business class passengers with additional other five economy class passengers all boarded our return Air Peace flight No. P47776 from Banjul to Lagos.

Our departure from Banjul was scheduled for 00:10hrs (local time) on 24th February, 2022, however, we departed Banjul at 01:19hrs and we landed at Lagos at 5:45am. Our connecting flight to Kano on the same Air Peace airline was for 6:15 hrs. This gave us only 30 minutes to make our flight to Kano,” Mr Bayero said.

He said he personally called the chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyeama, to inform him of the situation and requested him to assist by delaying their departing flight to Kano as a mark of respect to the emir.

“He flatly refused and avowed that he will not do that. I personally took this as an insult and a flagrant show of disrespect to his highness and the Kano people at large.”

He said it was very disappointing because the delay was the fault of the airline, adding that he was “aware that even with arriving international flights, departing aircrafts – local or international – are often delayed to enable arriving passengers join. Why should that be different with Air Peace Airline?”

He said despite having to check into a hotel at personal cost, the airline also requested them to pay a “No-show” fee when they wanted to rebook the next available flight of the airline which was by 7pm.

“This is an extreme case of insensitivity and callousness. In view of the foregoing, I feel strongly aggrieved and demand your kind intervention for restitution and for appropriate measures to be taken to stop this unwholesome development from happening in the future,” he added.

The director-general of the NCAA, Musa Nuhu, confirmed receipt of the letter but declined further comment.

“I can only say we received the letter, we are working on it but I cannot say anything on it,” he said