Air Peace (P4, Lagos) has filed a NGN1.7 billion naira (USD3.5 million) lawsuit in the Federal High Court in Lagos against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and their respective office bearers in connection with the disruption of its operations at Lagos on May 3, 2023.

Several Nigerian media outlets report the airline is demanding NGN1 billion (USD2.1 million) in "general" damages, NGN450 million (USD948,535) in "special" damages, and NGN250 million (USD526,916) in "exemplary" damages from the unions. Co-defendants include NCL President Joe Ajaero; NCL Secretary-General Emmanuel Ugboaja; TUC President Festus Osifoh; and TUC General Secretary Nuhu Toro.

Air Peace has asked the court for an injunction restraining the defendants from acts of intimidation and coercion against it, claiming the unions have ignored lawyer's letters and instead have threatened more disruption to the airline's operations.

Air Peace says it suffered financial loss and reputational damage after its employees were accosted by an unruly mob at the airline's offices, check-in counters and work areas at Lagos on May 3. According to the court docket, the protesters disrupted work, upturned tables, and unplugged and pushed away desktops and personal computers. Some employees and customers were hurt in the scuffle.

From songs sung and instructions issued by their leaders, it was clear they were members of the NLC and TUC, the airline alleges. It says the incident had a ripple effect on Air Peace operations in other parts of the country as scheduled flights to Abuja and Owerri had to be cancelled.

"Lagos is the operational hub and nerve centre of the airline operations, and a direct consequence of the defendants' malicious and unlawful invasion of its work areas/offices and forcible prevention of its functions [...]m was the cancellation of its flights billed for different destinations," it says. "Several Air Peace staff suffered physical molestation and incurred bruises which led to their psychological trauma and hospital visitations for treatments, with some having to be excused for some days' absence from work to recover."

The airline later learned the mayhem was part of labour unrest aimed at Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma over the disruption of Worker's Day celebration in the state on May 1.

ch-aviation has reached out to Air Peace for comment.