The chairman and chief executive officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema has dissociated himself from a suit instituted by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi purportedly seeking to enforce the former’s fundamental human rights.
Onyema, who spoke through his lawyer, Messrs A.O Alegeh & Co. said in a statement that he does not know the said Jideobi whom he said acted without his (Onyema’s) knowledge.
“The attention of our client, Allen Onyema has been drawn to news reports now trending in the social media suggesting that an Abuja based Legal Practitioner, Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi, has instituted an action in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1446/2019 – Johnmary C. Jideobi v. Federal Government of Nigeria & Ors at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, purportedly seeking the enforcement of our client’s fundamental human rights.
“We hereby state on behalf of our client, that at no time did he instruct the said Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi to institute any action on his behalf in respect of the subject matter of the Indictment now pending against him in the United States of America. Our Client has no knowledge of the said action and did not consent to the filing of same. As a matter of fact, Our Client does not know the said Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi,” said A.O Alegeh & Co.
It would be recalled that Onyema and the airline’s chief of administration and finance, Ms. Ejiroghene Eghagha are indicted by the US Department of Justice for alleged bank fraud and money laundering.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said in a statement last Friday that Onyema and Eghagha who were charged yesterday allegedly moved more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts in a scheme involving false documents based on the purchase of aircraft.
Both suspects strongly deny the allegations and said they looked forward to proving their innocence in court.
