Travel/Tourism
Delayed Luggage: CPC Summons Arik Air
By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Arik Air has been summoned by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) following complaints of alleged ill-treatment by passengers of recent London-Abuja flights.
The airline has been directed to appear before it tomorrow to provide facts relating to the allegations.
The summons, which was issued by the council on Wednesday, was directed at the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael ArumemiIkhide, the Chief Operating Officer, Conor Prendergast and the Managing Director, Chris Ndulue, to appear before the Council.
According to the summons, the council disclosed that it received “complaints/information from the public and passengers on board Arik Air flights from London to Lagos between 2nd and 5th of this month alleging that the flights arrived Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, without the passengers’ luggage and without prior information.”
The council further stated that “the said passengers, many of whom had connecting flights to Cameroon, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan, could not continue their journeys as a result of the non-arrival of their luggage from London, while some passengers on the said flights could not have access to personal supplies, baby food or medication.
“Arik Air Ltd did not provide the passengers with temporary accommodation for transit; neither was there any customer service desk to assist the passengers in resolving their individual complaints,” it stated.
CPC disclosed that it had issued the summons in line with sections 8, 15 and 18 of its enabling Act.
It would be recalled that passengers of Turkish Airlines had a similar experience with the airline’s Flight 623 from Istanbul to Abuja on 25th and 31st of December 2015 and 9th of January 2016, which prompted the council to consistently demand a situation report on the incidents.
However, the refusal of Turkish Airlines to respond to the council’s summons and the ultimatum of the Attorney General of the Federation to the airline on the same request, has led to the criminal prosecution of the airline and two of its principal officers, Liker Ayci and RasakShobowale, the airline’s Board Chairman and Commercial Manager respectively, before Federal High Court 10 in Abuja over alleged criminal violation of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) Act.
The criminal prosecution of Turkish Airlines and its principal officers has been fixed for February 9, 2017 for hearing.
The Nation
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce V-Pass, a biometric facial recognition system designed to make passenger processing faster, safer and more seamless across its domestic airports.
According to FAAN, the new technology will allow passengers to verify their identities through facial recognition after a one-time enrolment, reducing reliance on physical identification documents and shortening queues through automated electronic gates.
The authority said the system is expected to enhance airport security while improving the overall travel experience for domestic passengers.
FAAN added that V-Pass has been developed with data privacy at its core and is compliant with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The agency described the initiative as part of its commitment to delivering smarter, technology-driven airport services and said nationwide sensitisation and rollout updates would be announced in due course.
Airports in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates already deploy facial recognition technology for processes such as check-in, security screening, immigration and boarding, so the move also aligns Nigeria’s aviation sector with a growing global trend towards contactless travel.
These systems have been adopted to improve operational efficiency, strengthen security and enhance the overall passenger experience.
For FAAN, the deployment of V-Pass forms part of its broader digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising airport operations and accommodating rising passenger traffic.
Experts say that beyond improving convenience, the authority expects the biometric platform to strengthen identity verification, reduce the risk of impersonation and support more efficient airport security, while maintaining compliance with data protection.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 14.12 per cent stake in Ikeja Hotel Plc has been acquired by Honeywell Group Limited, a notice on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has revealed.
Honeywell Group took up the part of the hospitality firm through one of its affiliates known as HGL Real Estate Limited.
Ikeja Hotel, in the disclosure filed with the NGX on July 2, 2026, said the stake comprised 305,323,525 units of its equities.
“Ikeja Hotel hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the general public that it has received notification from HGL Real Estate Limited, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Limited, that it has acquired 305,323,525 units of Ikeja Hotel Plc’s shares, representing 14.12 per cent shareholding in the company,” the notice stated.
Ikeja Hotel is one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality investment and hotel management companies with premium hospitality assets.
It operates two leading hospitality organisations in Lagos, the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Balmoral Convention Centre.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 10 hospitality establishments, including hotels and restaurants, were sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The affected businesses are located in different locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the metropolis, Business Post learned from a statement from the agency.
It was stated that they were sealed by LASEPA for persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and several opportunities to comply with the agency’s directives.
According to the notice, the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the directives of the Lagos State government to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and to safeguard public health.
The affected facilities were said to have breached various environmental regulations, including noise pollution, air pollution, unlawful discharge of untreated effluent, obstruction of official duties, among others.
LASEPA closed the premises of Granduer Meridian at Obasa Akiniyi Street, Oluwaga, Ipaja for non-compliance with the agency’s directives; Lasola (Spazio Bar), located on Ipaja Road, Fatolu Bus Stop, Ipaja, was sealed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives; Millennium Restaurant, located at Gate Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo, was shut down for non-compliance with directives; O2 Exquisite Suites & Tower on Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; and Chirozz Hotel & Suites, located on Samuel Street, Akowonjo, by Vulcanizer Bus Stop, Egbeda, was closed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives.
In addition, House 7 Hotel, located at Remi Akande Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with LASEPA’s directives; House 48 on Isiba Oluwo Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; Exclusive Hotel, located at Ishan Kimishe, Akesan Bus Stop, was shut down by non-compliance with directives; Sabola Ventures Limited, Iocated at Km 11, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, was shut down for operating without evidence of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and discharging untreated effluent into public drains; and City Int’l Motel, located at Chief Olu-Adegbite Street, off Oladun Street, Council Bus Stop, Idimu, was sealed for non-compliance with directives.
