Lagos, April 12, 2023 – The Chairman and Founder of Arik Airline, Chief Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, has cried foul over his inability to access the company’s premises on the directive of the receiver/manager in spite of a court order.
The company has been under receivership since 2017 when AMCON appointed Kamilu Omokhide as the receiver manager after taking over the airline.
Arumemi said he had obtained a recent court order to permit the directors and shareholders of Arik Air to freely access their offices, premises, facilities, and staff necessary for executing their duties.
The court had ruled that the receivership of Arik Air did not preclude restricting access to the premises.
Arumemi said that but when he and his aides arrived at the premises following the court order, the security officials refused to grant them access despite the court order.
He said he then proceeded to the police division at the airport to write a statement, promising to report back to his lawyers, who would take up the matter from there.
“I was in the Arik Complex today under the order of the Federal High Court in the suit no FHC/L/CS/1175/2021 that I should be given unfettered access into my offices in Arik Air offices order to perform my duties with my team.
“The court affirmed that notwithstanding the appointment of a receiver manager, the organs of Arik Air remain intact and those organs such as the board and shareholders must be allowed to function.
“Being aware of the service of the order of the court on the company and having met the management led by Capt Roy Ilegbodu (CEO) on Wednesday, 4th April 2023, with whom I discussed the orders made by the court and our intentions to adhere strictly to including the orders of the court to be given office spaces.
“We both agreed that the orders of the court must be obeyed.
“We agreed that I and my team will resume this morning 11th April 2023.
“To my greatest surprise and shock, I was barred from entering by the CSO, Mr Tom West, who claimed that he has strict instructions from the receiver manager, Mr Kamilu Omokide, to deny me and my team access, contrary to the orders of the court.”
Arumemi said he had tried to persuade the security officials by presenting certified copies of the court order, which had been earlier served on Arik Air, but his attempts were discountenanced.
“As a law-abiding citizen, we decided not to press any further by ourselves, but rather fall back to the processes of the law by reporting to appropriate authorities,” he said. (GBN)
