The Nigerian Federal High Court Lagos has turned down an application by Arik Air's receiver manager for an injunction against the airline's founder Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide but instead has put the defendant on notice.
The motion for the injunction was brought by Arik Air receiver-manager Kamilu Alaba Omokhide (case number FHC/C/LS/145/122) to restrain Arumeni-Ikhide and agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from interfering in Arik Air operations and demanding from Arik employees confidential documents relating to the management of Arik under receivership, reports Nigerian Flight Deck.
According to the application, EFCC officials and Arumeni-Ikhide entered the premises of Arik Air in Ikeja, Lagos, on June 8, 2023, disrupting the airline's business. They allegedly obtained operational documents, took pictures of confidential documents without due authorisation, verbally assaulted and intimidated employees, preventing them from discharging their duties, and accessed Arik hangars without authorisation.
On April 11, 2023, Omokhide issued an order to deny Ariumenio-Ikhide unfettered access to Arik Air despite a court ruling that appointing a receiver manager does not nullify the previously established organs of Arik Air, such as the board and shareholders.
The airline's shareholders have expressed concern over the apparent depletion of the airline's assets under receivership and that the airline's receiver manager has failed to follow instructions by the Nigerian Federal High Court to file audited accounts of Arik Air within 14 days of an order to this effect on March 31, 2023.
