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US Returnee Tackles Airline Over Missing Luggage, Rejects $1,700 Compensation

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A lawyer, identified only as Abimbola, has lamented the loss of his property after he boarded a Delta Airline flight from Atlanta, United States of America, to Lagos.

Abimbola said efforts to recover the items since March 16, 2022, when the incident happened, had been abortive, alleging negligence on the side of the airline.

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PUNCH Metro gathered that the legal practitioner and his wife travelled from Newark to Lagos via Atlanta.

The couple were reportedly requested to check in their carry-on luggage by the airline staff because the flight was fully booked without space in the aircraft cabin for loads.

The duo were said to have hesitated in releasing the luggage, but eventually dropped it with the Delta baggage handlers.

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READ ALSO: 88-year-old Woman Narrates How Man Defrauded Her Of N36m

Abimbola, who was travelling with his wife for his 60th birthday celebration in Lagos, stated that he observed that his items were missing when he arrived in Lagos.

He listed the lost items to include a black Louis Vuitton cross-body vintage bag gifted to him by his wife for his 50th birthday, a pair of Versace transition sunglasses, another pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, a Movado wristwatch, two Apple laptops, an Apple CD loader, Apple air pods, a box with gold jewellery and other acquisitions.

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He noted that he initially suspected the driver assigned to carry his family’s load from the airport.

On March 20, 2022, I lodged a formal complaint at a local police station (Maroko Police Station) in Lagos and a police detective, Mrs Awe, was assigned to investigate it. This was because our entire luggage was in his (driver’s) custody.

“After the questioning, we concluded that there was merely circumstantial evidence, which did not establish any sufficient wrongdoing on the part of the driver,” he added.

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Abimbola stated that he made further attempts by tracking his stolen Airpods with his US phone to a private house 10 minutes away from the Atlanta airport.

Upon the discovery, the lawyer said attempts to reach the Delta airline were abortive.

He said after several attempts to reach the airline’s help desk in Atlanta also failed, an official of the aviation company, identified as Tracy Adkins, contacted him.

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The lawyer said, “She called me again the second time on the same day and we spoke at length during which she dropped a hint that regardless of whatever claim I may submit, the maximum compensation Delta will offer is $1,700.

“This is a slap on my face, a violation of my person and an assault on my dignity.”

Abimbola told PUNCH Metro that some of the items had “sentimental value” and that if he was flying to London as a British citizen, he would have been treated with more respect.

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His lawyer, Akinwale Akintomiwa, said he would sue for damages on behalf of his client.

He said, “We are still putting our facts together and preparing the court processes. We have yet to file the matter in court. We will write a formal letter of demand stating that he (the victim) should be fully compensated rather than the meagre sum of $1,700 which Delta offered. “

Akintomiwa stated that the case would be taken seriously because of the perceived discrimination on the part of the airline.

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He said, “From the facts of this case, there is absolutely no gainsaying the fact that the airline is liable for this egregious breach. The airline is in clear breach of the contract to transport him and his goods to Lagos safely and they are liable. The principle of law is that where there is a wrong, there must be a remedy. Ubi jus ubi remedium.”

The lawyer said Abimbola might be seeking various reliefs from the court, including an order compelling the company to pay the sum of N17,751,000 and the sum of 5,000,000 as general damages for the loss of the valuables.

The Director, Corporate Communications, Delta Airline, Olivia Cullis, in an e-mail to the media consultant of the airline, which was shared with PUNCH Metro, stated that the company had investigated the incident.

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She said, “Delta works to put our customers front and centre of our business every day. We launched an internal investigation into this incident and responded to the Department of Transportation following the customer’s complaint. The response included Delta making a settlement directly with the customer, which adheres to guidelines set by the Montreal Convention.”

READ ALSO: War: We’re At Critical Juncture – NATO

Efforts to reach the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, on the incident via calls and text messages were abortive.

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Despite repeated attempts, our correspondent did not get any response as of the time of filing this report.

PUNCH.

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Metro

My Wife Sleeps In Leggings, Denies Me Sex —Husband

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He starves me, our children, beat me, left me almost naked in public —Wife

A minibus driver complained before a local court in Lusaka, Zambia, that his wife sleeps in leggings to prevent him from making love to her.

Richard Makura, 48, of Kanyama compound was testifying in a case in which his wife, Patricia Mulenga, 40, a business woman sued him for divorce on allegation that he was violent.

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According to the Zambian Observer, the two got married in 1996 and have three children.

Patricia told the senior court magistrate, Lewis Mum, sitting with two other magistrates, Abbyshine Michelo and Esther Mulomba at Kanyama Local Court that Richard has been beating her over petty issues since her father in 2004.

READ ALSO:I No Longer Love My Husband, I Want Divorce —Wife

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She explained that in 2006, he threatened to burn her clothes and was forced to seek refuge at her parents’ home.

She told the court that he once beat her until she fainted.

Patricia stated that in 2015, Richard started working for APG Milling in Mansa but still failed to provide for the family because he only sent home K50 or K100 per month.

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She further said that Richard joined her in June 2016 when his contract was terminated but she never saw the benefits he was given.

READ ALSO:‘My Husband Became Hostile After Losing His Job, Brandished Cutlass At Me’

“When I asked for our children’s school fees, he beat me in public and removed the chitenge material I was wearing.

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“I was left in the short skirt I was wearing and in the confusion, he beat a man who wanted to rescue from his hand,” Patricia stated.

In defense, Richard denied being violet but admitted that problem started in 2006 when he had a girlfriend.

READ ALSO:My Wife Denies Me Sex, Neglects Our Children —Husband

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He explained that when he came from Mansa, his wife started sleeping in leggings to prevent him from making love to her.

The magistrate, Mumba stated that there was violence in their marriage and since Patricia wanted divorce, the court had no power to continue to live with Richard.

He granted the couple divorce, ordering Richard to compensate Patricia with K6,000 with initial payment of K1,000 followed by monthly installment of K400.

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Property acquired together was ordered to be shared equally.

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Metro

I Spent 13 Days In Hospital After My Husband Beat Me —Wife

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…I now love her the more —Husband

A housewife, LadidiI Abass, has dragged her husband, Shehu Abass, to a Sharia Court sitting in Magajin Garki, Kaduna, Kaduna State, seeking divorce over alleged battery.

Abass who reside at Rigasa, Kaduna, said her husband usually beat her any time they had a misunderstanding.

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Accordng to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the last time he did, he was hospitalised for 13 days.

He usually beats me in front of our children.

The last time he beat me, I was hospitalized for 13 days,”  Ladidi said.

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READ ALSO:My Wife Harasses, Slaps Me All The Time —Husband

She prayed the court to dissolve their union and grant her custody of their children.

The defendant, Shehu, denied all the allegations.

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“I have just started loving my wife. I love her more and more every hour, “

Shehu thus prayed the court to grant him time to resolve their differences.

The judge, Murtal Nasir, after he had heard both parties, ordered the complainant to testify on her allegation on battery.

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He then adjourned the case.

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Metro

My Husband Abandoned Me, No Longer Comes To My Room —Wife

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…I still love her —Husband

A housewife, Hassana Adamu, has urged a Upper Area Court, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to dissolve her 10-year-old marriage to her husband, Danjuma Ali, on the grounds of lack of love and interest.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Hassan told the court that her marriage with Danjuma is blessed with three kids.

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“I have lost interest in our marriage and no longer love my husband.

“My husband has abandoned me. He does not enter my room again, and he is no longer interested in me.

READ ALSO:I Doubt Our Only Child’s Paternity, I Want DNA Test, Man Tells Court

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I want the court to dissolve our marriage because of lack of love and interest.”

Danjuma in his response , however, said that he still loved his wife.

The judge, Malam Abdulkarim, advised the couple to explore some means of settlement.

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Abdulkarim asked the complainant if she was willing to accept back her husband if he did all she wanted, but she answered in the negative.

He then adjourned the case.

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