Nigeria’s largest airline, Arik Air, is believed to have operated without equipment necessary to facilitate operations, according to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
In a statement on Wednesday, spokesman of AMCON, Mr. Jude Nwazor told aviation correspondents that before the take over Arik Air had been “toying with the lives of Nigerians”.
He further added that Arik Air had been operating without spare tyres in stock, as well as other adequate equipment, before the airline had been taken over by the corporation in February.
Critical operational arrangements such as having a flight simulator – which would have ensured Arik Air pilots undertook mandatory training exercises to improve efficiency – were unapparent.
It was also discovered that the management of the airline under the leadership of its founder, Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, owed around N387 billion both locally and internationally.
A document submitted to the court by AMCON lawyers also listed a long list of decay, unprofessional practice, huge indebtedness, non-existent records, and a lack of corporate governance among other iniquities that tormented Arik when it was taken over by the government debt recovery agency.
The document suggested that the former management of Arik Air did not consider passenger safety, due to the fact that a number of critical issues and aviation standards were not attended to. It also revealed that the salaries of the expatriate and local staff of Arik Air were unpaid since October and July of last year, as well as a number of outstanding premiums on the company’s insurance policy.
Founder, Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide is yet to comment.
