http://www.newsportng.com.ng Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, (AYCF) have said that news on the indictment of Airpeace Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, by the United States (US) is false, aimed to ridicule and distract him from his good deeds over the years.
The president of AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, made the disclosure in a press statement issue to newsmen in Kaduna on Sunday, said they have been able to carryout proper investigation on the subject matter and discovered that the viral statements is not true.
He said “as a group of activists and as citizens following closely the widespread media reports suggesting Airpeace owner- Mr. Allen Onyema was indicted by a US jury, we feel duty bound to intervene. We are motivated by the need for the media to be fair, not just to the Chairman of Airpeace but every other Nigerians.
“The news stories of a purported indictment was, according to our independent findings both false and distractive. We also got further confirmation from the Airpeace lawyers, namely A.O. Alegeh & Co Legal Practitioners & Notaries Public that the news making the rounds, of a purported legal tussle as entirely untrue.”
Shettima also noted that their independent findings revealed that no fraudulent intent in all the Letters of Credit for the purchase of the said aircrafts by Airpeace in the United States, neither was there any victim, individual or institutional in any way, manner or form in the aircrafts transaction as widely reported, adding that it was promoted only by mischief makers.
“As a matter of fact, there was no fraudulent intent in all the Letters of Credit for the purchase of the said aircrafts by Airpeace in the United States, as falsely promoted by the Nigeria press.
“Furthermore, there was no victim, individual or institutional in any way, manner or form in the aircrafts transaction.
“We have also found out that all the funds involved were legitimate funds belonging to the management of Aipeace and there was no loss of money or any damage whatsoever to any third Party. The US Government admitted in Court that none of its banks suffered any financial loss in the matter.
“It is worrisome that there have been false and unsubstantiated press stories in Nigeria, about an Indictment of a certain female staff named Ebony Mayfield. For the records, Airpeace never took loans or credit from any US Bank and Ebony was never paid the sum of $20,000.00 as falsely reported.
This never happened at any point in time as there was no attempt to commit any fraud, as is being peddled by a section of the Nigerian press. Our findings revealed that the lady named Ebony whose name was bandied as being part of so-called fraud, like other Springfield Aviation Company Inc staff, was only paid her bi-weekly salary and/or allowances.
“It was quite timely that the lawyers of Airpeace acted and stating that “these stories are far from the truth and are deliberately being peddled by a section of the Nigerian Press for ulterior motives.”
“Airpeace, according to the lawyers, maintains their innocence in the matter. All steps taken in respect of the Letters of Credit were therefore taken in good faith and with legitimate funds. All the aircrafts involved were brought into Nigeria and utilized in the operations of Airpeace Limited. There was no victim. There was no loss of funds to any person and there was no criminal intent whatsoever.
“Most importantly, the position of Airpeace has been reviewed by varihous Law Enforcement Agencies in Nigeria and no evidence
of criminality has been established against either the Chairman or the Board of the complany.
AYCF called on the Federal government to rise and stand with Airpeace, expressing disappointment over an alledged lacassedical approach on the matter by the Nigeria government.
“In view of the above development, we wish to call on the Nigerian government to stand firmly with its citizens in moments of challenges abroad and moreso when falsehood is confirmed. Our government owes a duty to protect the integrity of its citizens and their corporate image whenever such a need arises. The Airpeace Air boss is still the only private airline owner in this country to voluntarily provide free air tickets to Nigerians abroad when their lives become endangered by wars or xenophobic attacks. Recall that even the Federal Government gave Airpeace an award for its voluntary support to national challenges in critical moments.
“We wish to declare as unacceptable the lackadaisical approach of the Nigerian government towards the attempt to embarrass an innocent citizen doing legitimate business and giving quality social responsibility services through his company. It is also unacceptable that Nigeria, as an independent nation would allow such an embarrassing falsehood to eoped around the neck of its illustrious by a foreign nation like the United States.
“Even Britain, which was our former colonial overlord should not have allowed the use of falsehood to humiliate any citizen of Nigeria because indeed, the world has since moved on.” He said.
