Abuja professor drags Ivorian airline to court over alleged missing luggage

A senior lecturer with the University of Abuja, Prof. Oseremen Aisuodionoe-Shadrach has dragged Air Cote D’ Ivoire Plc before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged neglect and misplacement of his luggage.

Aisuodionoe-Shadrach, who listed Pcharles Travels and Investment Co. Ltd as 2nd defendant in the suit, alleged that the defendants failed in their duty of care owed to him by misplacing his luggage (Leavesking Trolley) which left him stranded at Somone, Senegal from September 18, 2022, to September 21, 2022, and that his luggage was still missing till the time of filing the suit.

In the writ of summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1973/20 filed on October 27, 2022, the lecturer prayed the court for an order directing the defendants to pay him, “the sum of N 3,109, 000. 00 as special, general and exemplary damages which arose from the embarrassment, mental agony, trauma, inconvenience and stress suffered by the claimant as a result of the actions of the defendants”.

He wants the court to direct the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to him in two national dailies for the unwarranted psychological and mental trauma he suffered and a certificate of compliance filed in that regard.

The professor of Surgery and Consultant Urological Surgeon at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital further asked the court for an award of N500,000 as cost of instituting the case, among other claims.

In his witness statement on oath, Aisuodionoe-Shadrach averred that on September 5, 2022, he purchased an electronic travel ticket via the platform of the 2nd defendant, being one of the accredited and authorized travel agents of the 1st defendant with booking reference No: N72HJ3 in the sum of N428, 816.

He said the Air Cote D’ Ivoire was scheduled to airlift him and other passengers on September 18, 2022, and was billed to return on September 21, 2022. I prepared adequately to be airlifted by the 1st defendant on 18/09/2022 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to Blaise Diagne International Airport, Diass, Senegal en-route Abidjan.

“On arrival at my destination on Sunday, the 18/09/2022, I was shocked to learn that the luggage with which my tag was placed was not mine. I was mislabeled by the Ist defendant. Sequel to the above, I promptly returned the mislabeled luggage to the 1st defendant’s airline in Blaise Diagne International Airport, Diass, Senegal via one of the customer service attendants at the Hotel Baobab where I was lodged for the duration of the conference,” he said and that, all efforts to recover his luggage had been unsuccessful.

The trial Judge, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon adjourned the matter till October 23 for hearing and also ordered that hearing notice be served on the 2nd defendant by courier service.

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