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JUST IN: Dana Air Staff Protest Mass Sacking, Non-payment Of Salaries

Published

1 year ago

May 21, 2024

Over 500 staff members of Dana Air have blocked the entrance of the aviation company in the Oshodi area of Lagos State in protest against their sacking as well as the refusal of the airlines to pay their April salary.

Dana aircraft was involved in a runway skidding incident last month, a development that prompted the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to withdraw its operation licence.

NCAA said it had initiated an in-house compliance assessment of the occurrence taking into account Dana’s track records in related occurrences.

The regulator added that it would ensure a safety audit that will entail a re-inspection of the organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of the airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations.

Barely two weeks after the suspension of Dana Air operations, the aviation company laid off its staff based on claims that their disengagement was in respect of the ongoing audit, by the aviation regulators.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the staff, during a protest in front of the company, threatened to explore every mechanism to fight what they called “an injustice.”

The staff members who were armed with placards with inscriptions such as; ‘Give us our money’, ‘A airline owing it staff can’t be safe’, and ‘Systematic thieving’, among others, stated that aside from being unjustly sacked, the airline has refused to pay workers contributory pension as well as their April salary among other entitlements.

Speaking with journalists at the protest ground, the Training Manager of the airline, Magdalene Onyeukwu, noted that the staff members will not relent until the management pays all that is owed.

Onyeukwe, who claimed to have worked with Dana for 15 years, stated that she got her sack letter through a WhatsApp message.

READ ALSO: Gunmen Kidnap A’Ibom Monarch

She added that all their access, including official lines, have been deactivated.

She said, “I have been with Dana since 2008; I was part of those who participated in the demo flight that gave Dana its licence; even when there were challenges when salaries were not paid, we remained committed until this issue of runway incursions, which is normal.

“But before we knew it, they started sending us WhatsApp messages saying our services are no longer needed. Who does that? What about our gratuity, pension and even our April salary? This is not possible after 15 years of service ?”

Also speaking at the protest ground, an Aviation security supervisor, Eze Chidibere, also complained about the refusal of the company to pay its sacked staff, stressing that this development has started affecting the well-being of staff families, appealing to the management of Dana to urgently pay what is due “even if they won’t be reabsorbed.”

Chidibere further accused Dana of fraudulently deducting staffers’ contributing pensions but refusing to pay the same into their pension accounts.

He said, “We are here to demand our rights, after serving Dana Airlines for several years, they suddenly sacked us all saying that our services are no longer required. But it is on record that Dana airline flew till April before it had an incursion and as I am talking to you, April’s salary has not been paid and my children are at home because I have not been able to pay their fees.

“So many people are in our outstation and couldn’t make it here today because of logistics. If not, this place would have been physically filled by our over 500 staff members because our people are seriously angry.

“Also, if an organisation is sacking its staff, it should pay a one-month salary in lieu because it is also expected that staff should give a one-month notice to the organisation before leaving, but they refused to honour the same rule.

“Dana Airlines has been deducting our money but hasn’t remitted the same to our pension account. This, among others, is our reason for begging Dana to immediately pay us to avert a legal battle.”

Efforts to get the spokesperson for the airlines, Kingsley Ezenwa, was futile as he neither picked up his calls nor responded to a text message of enquiry over the protest.
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News

Bodies Of Terrorists Float In River As Boko Haram Murders 200 ISWAP Fighters [VIDEO]

Published

50 minutes ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The supremacy battle between the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP fighters and Boko Haram insurgents in the northern region has reportedly claimed about 200 lives of terrorists.

It was learnt that while about 200 ISWAP fighters were killed in the clash, four Boko Haram insurgents were also eliminated.

A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed this in a post on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing video of lifeless bodies of terrorists floating in a river.

“More bodies of ISWAP found after a deadly clash that resulted in the killing of 200 fighters by Boko Haram”, he wrote on X.

It was gathered that the rival clash took place on the shores of Lake Chad near Dogon Chiku in the Northeast on Sunday.

DAILY POST reports that since ISWAP began as a splinter group from Boko Haram in 2016, both factions have repeatedly clashed.

The Northeast has been one of the regions in the country that is highly bedeviled by the activities of the criminal elements.

Watch video here.

News

[JUST IN] Terrorism: Nnamdi Kanu Appeals For Stay Of Proceedings Ahead Of Nov 20 Judgment

Published

2 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has filed an application at the Court of Appeal, praying for a stay of further proceedings in his trial before Justice James Omotosho of Abuja Federal High Court.

In the motion, Kanu urged the Appeal Court to stay delivery of judgment pending the determination of the appeal.

Kanu’s appeal may impact the 20th November date fixed for delivery of judgment in the trial.

He filed the motion on notice in pursuant to section 36(1) of the Nigerian constitution.

Recall that Justice Omotosho had fixed November 20 to deliver judgement in Kanu’s terrorism trial.

But the IPOB had contested the charge, stressing that he can’t be tried on the basis of a repealed law, the terrorism act.

Details soon…

News

PAP Begins Second Phase Distribution Of Laptops To Scholarship Beneficiaries

Published

4 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has commenced the second phase of the distribution of laptops to its scholarship beneficiaries who were deployed for the 2024/2025 academic year to universities within Nigeria.

The exercise, which followed the directive of the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, is aimed at enhancing learning and research by the students in their various institutions.

A statement issued by Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, said
he first phase of the distribution was carried out between April and May, 2025, and over 663 final year scholarship beneficiaries received the mobile computing device.

During that exercise, the PAP also diligently undertook a physical verification and orientation programme for the beneficiaries in the resumption list for the 2024/2025 academic session.

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Speaking on the second phase of the distribution, Otuaro reiterated that his decision was informed by the usefulness of laptop to academic pursuit and overall success.

He also stated that the gesture was in fulfillment of his promise to the scholarship beneficiaries during his tour of partnering universities in 2024.

Otuaro expressed the hope that the mobile computing device would greatly support learning and research by the students and also help them achieve academic excellence.

He urged them to make good use of it and justify the Federal Government’s huge investment in their education.

The PAP boss also advised them to take their studies seriously and avoid acts capable of jeopardizing their academic pursuits and bright futures.

He said the PAP would continue to support the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme to achieve academic excellence.

He restated his leadership’s unwavering commitment to implementing the programme’s objectives for the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Otuaro further expressed profound appreciation to the President for supporting the PAP wholeheartedly, stressing that it shows his sincere love for the region and his strong desire to close the human capital development gap in the area.

He urged the youths and people of the region to return the President’s gesture by giving his administration the expected support in all areas.

He assured the President of his leadership’s unwavering commitment to complementing the renewed hope agenda in the Niger Delta by consolidating on the programme’s achievements.