Aero staff protested round the Murtala Muhammed Airport yesterday to press their demand that Asset Management Company of Nigeria should desist from shutting the airline down illegally.
The protesters claimed AMCON has threatened to liquidate the airline despite the prospects of the airline. They stated that AMCON did not take into consideration the ripple effect of their action on the economy.
The staff appealed to the public to save the company from been shut down. The statement by the staff stated that, “This is calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to please come to the aid of Aero Contractors at this critical time in her life; Aero should not be allowed to die from the stranglehold of AMCON who presently have 60%share of the airline.”
“AMCON was set up to revive ailing companies, just as doctors are to administer drugs and follow procedures to resuscitate a sick patient, but AMCON has instead become the undertaker, as it is evident that no company has ever been revived by AMCON.”
The staff recounted the massive fraud that led the airline to its current predicament.
“There was an orchestrated fraud where the owners of Oceanic Bank and its subsidiaries who also happen to be owners of Aero Contractors as at 2008/09, got loans in the airline’s name to airy aircraft, transfer same airplanes to Oceanic Capitals a Subsidiary of Oceanic Bank, and leased it back to Aero Contractors. All documents relating to this deal were allegedly destroyed while the debt from there was transferred to Aero Contractors.”
“There was an orchestrated fraud where the owners of Oceanic Bank and its subsidiaries who also happen to be owners of Aero Contractors as at 2008/09, got loans in the airline’s name to airy aircraft, transfer same airplanes to Oceanic Capitals a Subsidiary of Oceanic Bank, and leased it back to Aero Contractors. All documents relating to this deal were allegedly destroyed while the debt from there was transferred to Aero Contractors.”
“Ecobank that acquired Oceanic Bank could not accommodate the debt because it was controversial and toxic, and as such AMCON bought over the loan from Ecobank in 2011.”
Protesters further explained that before AMCON bought over the loan, Aero had 11 operational aircraft, claimed it injected N12billion which had found its way into private pockets of AMCON representatives in Aero Contractors through shady consultancies and salaries.
