The minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the grounding of Arik Air.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, in a statement signed by its Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, said the grounding of the aircraft followed a Supreme Court judgment on the debt of $2.5 million owed by Arik Airline to one Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. by attaching their aircrafts.

Titled, ‘Grounding Of Arik Aircrafts By The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency’, NAMA said: “On the 19th day of July 2024, the enforcement department of the FCT High Court enforced an Order made by the Court regarding a debt of $2.5m owed by Arik Airline to one Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. by attaching their aircraft.

“Arik was further given a notice of Public Auction of the planes by the Court which was slated to hold on the 26th day of July 2024, if they fail to pay the Judgment debt. All these were served on our agency and also on our Supervising Minister, the Minister of Aviation.”

According to NAMA, records show that on March 8, 2016, the Judgment Debtor (ARIK) appealed the decision of the High Court of Lagos State, entering judgment against it to the Court of Appeal and on September 30, 2021, a unanimous decision of the appellate court dismissed the appeal with cost.

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