Lagos - British Airways appears to be losing the battle to fight the will of the Nigerian people fighting it either to recover their lost luggages or to enforce their fundamental human rights against maltreatment or negligence by the airline. The airline has been ordered by a Federal High Court in Lagos to pay ₤9, 000 (N2.1 million) to a Nigerian passenger, Mr. Emeka Ngige (SAN), being value of the contents of his luggage lost in transit aboard the airways while returning to Lagos from London.

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Lagos - The Nigerian Bar Association has dragged the British Airways before the Federal High Court in Lagos, following the maltreatment of its Nigerian passenger, Mr Ayo Omotade.

In a motion ex-parte jointly filed by Omotade, NBA and its President, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), the plaintiffs are seeking the leave of the court to enforce Omotade‘s human rights against the BA.

Omotade, a Nigerian citizen and an information technology consultant based in Chatham, Kent, United Kingdom, was one of the Nigerian passengers on the BA’s flight.

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Abuja - The Federal Government has summoned the British High Commissioner in Abuja Mr. Bob Dewar over the March 27 incident where over 100 Nigerian passengers were ordered off a Lagos-bound British Airways (BA) plane for protesting against the brutal treatment of a Nigerian deportee.

The visit may not be unconnected to the commencement of a probe ordered by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua going by the Citizen Diplomacy posture of the government that it would not tolerate maltreatment of its citizen under any guise.

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London -  The British Airways has finally caved in to pressure from millions of Nigerians worldwide as well as the federal government demand for an explanation for the recent maltreatments of Nigerians on a BA Flight #0075 en route Lagos from London on March 27, 2008.

Less than 24hrs after the President, Musa Yar’Adua mandated the Minister of State for Air Transport, Felix Hyatt, to investigate the bad treatment meted out to some Nigerian travelers aboard the British Airways flight, the British carrier has defended itself on the allegations. A statement from the airline partly read: ”The disturbance on board the BA75 service to Lagos on Thursday, 27th March, was a very serious incident which required the presence of 20 uniformed police officers to regain control of the situation.”

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Abuja - President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has directed the Minister of State for Transportation in charge of Aviation, Mr. Felix Hyatt, to immediately investigate reports of maltreatment of Nigerian passengers by the British Airways and other foreign airlines.

This is against the backdrop of protest by Nigerians on board a British Airways Flight 0075 from London to Lagos on March 27, 2008. The President was particularly miffed at the incident in which British Airways officials allegedly ordered over 100 Nigerians off the London–Lagos bound flight.

The passengers were protesting the brutal treatment of a Nigerian deportee aboard the flight.

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