I will seek justice, says passenger humiliated by Daniel’s aides

By Kelvin Osa-OkunborPublished TodayNewsRating:

A passenger who boarded a flight with Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel but was molested out of his seat has threatened to sue the government, reports KEVIN OSA-OKUNBOR

The issue was supposed to be very simple, but it ended as a very complicated matter. Both decorum and civility were thrown aboard when security details of Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel yesterday humiliated a co-passenger on a Lagos-bound flight from Abuja.

The passenger, Mr Greg Osu, had bought a business class ticket and taken his seat for a smooth flight. But the comfort he paid for was soon short-changed for discomfort by the security details with the governor. They asked him to get off the seat because the governor was to sit next to it. The confused passenger did not understand why and how his position was an encumbrance to that of the governor. He protested.

But his complaint only drew the ire of the overzealous security aides. They threatened to deal with him on getting to Lagos.

The confusion attracted the attention of other passengers, who expressed surprise and anger over the violation of an innocent passenger’s rights by those paid to protect them.

The pilot was contacted. He looked helpless, considering the personality involved. But he managed to placate the aggrieved passenger by relegating him to the economy class and appealed to the security aides to allow peace to reign.

But the governor’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC) threatened fire and brimstone against the hapless passenger, to teach him a lesson about how not to behave when a governor demands privileges.

The plane took off at Abuja at 09:02am and touched down at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA) in Ikeja at 10:12am. The governor’s ADC threatened to hand Mr Osu, a lawyer, to the police in Lagos.

To confirm that the threat was not empty, the ADC waited in anger for the lawyer to get off the plane. The other passengers, who had become interested in the matter, joined Osu as the security aide tackled him. There was an argument. Other passengers intervened, but the ADC wanted his pound of flesh.

He dragged the lawyer to the police post at the new Terminal Two of the airport for questioning. There was another round of argument. Most of the other passengers seemed prepared to spend the whole day with Osu to ensure that he was not further molested by Daniel’s security aides. They followed the lawyer to both the police post and the divisional police station at Beesam junction along the airport road.

From the time the flight arrived in Lagos at 10:12am, the matter dragged till 2:00pm. Mr Osu’s co-passengers stood by him, leaving their businesses and other things to ensure justice.

The aggrieved lawyer threatened to press charges against Ogun State Government and his security apparatus for the humiliation.

None of the officials of the airline was at the police station to give account of what transpired on board.

After the hours of the ‘ground rage’, as it is called in aviation parlance, the matter was resolved. But most of the passengers who witnessed it all expressed shock at the level of officiousness and high-handedness by people given political power on behalf of the people. Osu was among those who addressed reporters on the incident.

He said: "I am a lawyer. My name is Greg Osu. They knew I bought a business class ticket, secured a seat beside the governor of Ogun State. But they pushed me out. This is the bad experience we go through everyday. I got on board, seated close to the governor. The ADC pushed me out, they said I shouldn’t seat near the governor. There were only four seats on the plane and the four seats were occupied. They claimed they have the apparatus to deal with me and coerce me. That is how we got to the police station. We will see how the case will go. They threatened to deal with."

Another passenger said: "I am Emeka Okafor, one of the passengers aboard the IRS Airlines flight from Abuja to Lagos. I was sitting at the exit, by the wings. I saw the gentleman standing up, picking up his things, to move to another seat. He was talking to one of the cabin attendants of the airline, saying, ‘Why are you people embarrassing me. I’m supposed to seat on the business class seat. Why are you moving me to the economy seat?’ Then, he picked up his things and was going. Of course, he was not happy. He got agitated and was still talking. I heard the security detail attached to Gbenga Daniel talking, shouting on the passenger, asking him, ‘Why are you talking like this? You are embarrassing the governor.’ He said, ‘What is all this? Don’t you know you are embarrassing the governor?’

"The passenger insisted, saying: "I have a right to sit on my seat. I paid for it. If the governor does not want anybody to sit near him, he should have flown on a chartered flight or, better still, buy his own private jet. The security details started abusing the passenger, threatening to bit him up when they got down from the aircraft.

"By that time, I had to get up. I started appealing to the security details to leave the man alone. I then went to the captain on board, and I stood up and shouted, saying: ‘Is there no captain in charge of this flight? Can he take control of this aircraft?’ Of course, the captain identified himself, and he calmed everybody down. The security details still went ahead to threaten that when they got to Lagos they would deal with the passenger. I knew that was pure injustice.

"I left everything I wanted to do today to say my beat of the story, even if I do not have the ability to change anything. But at least, I could say my beat and challenge injustice, that there was excessive show of executive powers and overzealousness by the security details.

"When we got down, they waited for the passenger. When I saw them through the aircraft window, I went to the captain of the aircraft and told him, ‘You were in charge of this flight, why don’t you do something? After all, everything that happened happened under your watch. You were the commander in the air, you must go there and say your bit to the police so that they do not molest that man.’ He thanked me and appealed to them all. That was how they took the man to the police post at the new domestic terminal. I decided to go with them to offer my account of all that happened. There is no price too big to pay for injustice."

Another passenger said: "I am Mr Ike Ehie, a visiting professor at the School of Business, the American University of Nigeria, in Yola. I was on that IRS Airlines flight; I saw everything that happened.

"We were sitting on the same roll in the economy cabin of the aircraft. I just saw the passenger standing up. I thought he did not have a seat and I asked him how come. ‘Did the airline oversell their seats?’ The passenger told me that the Ogun State Governor was near the seat he was allocated. He was forced out of the seat.

"When we got on ground, the security details attached to the governor threatened to deal with the passenger for allegedly being rude to the governor. This is a very simple matter. Why should he be asked to lose his seat? The argument of the governor’s aides was wrong."

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/39277/1/I-will-seek-justice-says-passenger-humiliated-by-Daniels-aides/Page1.html

It is a pity that the people in power have completely forgotten the transient nature of power. How could they have forced someone who bought his ticket legitimately be forced out of the seat he paid for simply because a governor was to seat next to his seat? Why didnt the governor buy all the seats in the business class of the plane or better still charter a plane?

This is truly ridiculous!

The passenger should sue IRS airlines too.
Their customer service,in this case is less than 10%

that is one of Daniel's grand style of showing that he is the Emperor Justus Gbenga 1 of Ogun State. let him realise that his days are numbered and his sins shall be visited without delay

From his first term in office when he had some fans because of the pockets of projects he was doing , I have never liked this man called OGD. When I see him I see evil personified. He tries to use that facade of simplicity and comedy to cover his real peronality.

I am happy this has been brought to public domain , which will make it hard for OGD to employ his killer squad for his normal acts.

How I wish the passenger was a woman.
Million naira damages would have been sought.

He is just a stupid governor. For christ sake, how much is a ticket for Business  class that he can not just pay for all the seats instead of acting this way. I know the police won't do anything about it.

The passenger should not take this lying low. The useless governor and airline should not be spared.
They should both be sued. What nonsense.

Emperor Justus Gbenga 1 of Ogun State.  


Indeed.

meexteriox:

The passenger should not take this lying low. The useless governor and airline should not be spared.
They should both be sued. What nonsense.

The scarecrow no dey fear. Afterall if there's any penalty, na the state go pay.

Kx:

How I wish the passenger was a woman.
Million naira damages would have been sought.

Its not only women that have the right to seek redress and claim millions, men also do. In fact, I'm happy the man has indicated his intention to press for charges

bullshit

ItS true OGD'S days will come.

I must say, I'm pleasantly suprised at the way the other passengers stood by him and even followed him to the police station. There's hope for us Nigerians yet. But I would not have set one foot in any police station. For what?

But I would not have set one foot in any police station. For what?

you are notting but an internet soldier.

The only thing that is on my mind now is the question, what did the great "leader" of our land, Goat Governor Gbenga Daniel do to curb his aides. He doesn't even see it as though his reputation was being soiled by the fellow he-goat aides that he carries around? Oponu Ode

The Governor's head should be chopped off. how can he allow such Nonsense to happen in his presence, I wish i was there,

if this article is true, then it is incomplete.
What did the governor do or sleep?
or was he asleep throughout the flight?

how our system perpetually throws up the worst of men as our leaders baffles me.

to lodge your compain about this nonsense can you all call the governor office on 08037470001 , found this number on ogun state website , i called but no answer, may be that should be a start.

I do not in anyway blame the Governor.

The Airline should be made to pay for their lack of customer service/fear of the 'high and mighty'/and glaring bias.

one thing those rogues in power fail to understand is that power is transient and then they become ordinary citizens, oh lord teach us how short our day are so that we will fear you.OGD claims to be a christian,but he is a bloody hypocrit.

This is a man that used to beat his present second wife Yeye Olufunke black and blue in those days and i am talking of early 90s, Olufunke is not his first wife for those who don't know, she graduated in English from UI in 1987. Anyway Gbenga Daniel will beat the hell out of her after every little disagreement at their abode in Ilupeju Lagos and she will come running to my cousin who was then her closest friend. To say i was stunned when he came over to USA in 2002 to say he was running for governorship is an understatement because all i saw was a vicious wife beater and a serial womaniser.

With a name like Greg Osu, what do u expect? He was just simply treated like an OSU. The meaning of his name was just melted out to him.

she will come running to my cousin who was then her closest friend.

and that your cousing is my closest cousin. .jokes apart what would you have done if you were on that flight.?

I think the man needs to sue the airline and the governor and his thugs for even touching him.

What did the governor say or do about the situation? Was he pretending not to notice anything?

isuomo:

This is a man that used to beat his present second wife Yeye Olufunke black and blue in those days and i am talking of early 90s, Olufunke is not his first wife for those who don't know, she graduated in English from UI in 1987. Anyway Gbenga Daniel will beat the hell out of her after every little disagreement at their abode in Ilupeju Lagos and she will come running to my cousin who was then her closest friend. To say i was stunned when he came over to USA in 2002 to say he was running for governorship is an understatement because all i saw was a vicious wife beater and a serial womaniser.

Iyen ma ti di itan Gbenga ma ti  lo second term lori alefa . lol Just teasing.

He is a VIP and deserve some respect, Whenever you see a VAGABOND IN POWER and you think its right to sit beside a Governor that is the end result. Otunba ! is not a cheap title (dont ask me if he deserve it)

Otunba ! is not a cheap title (dont ask me if he deserve it)

reason i renamed bingo OTUNBA. And bingo happens to be a faithful dog.

I just see all these as power drunk

the tyrants shall one day FALL!

this is very shameful.

And this is the kind of "Country" they want Diasporas to move back to? IDIOTS