Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, and the Umueri community in Anambra East Local Government Area are at odds over a ₦100 million land payment linked to a proposed Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the Chinua Achebe International Cargo Airport.
The dispute stems from social media claims suggesting that Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema, paid ₦100 million directly to the Umueri community for land allocated to the project — a claim the community has strongly denied.
While the airline insists that the payment was made, it clarified that the money was paid to the Anambra State Government, not to the community.
The controversy follows the airline’s recent launch of a ₦32 billion MRO facility at the Lagos airport, which sparked fresh debate about why the project was not located in Anambra.
In a statement titled “Umueri Community Sets the Record Straight,” the community’s traditional ruler, Igwe Bennett Emeka, dismissed the circulating reports as “false and misleading.”
“The claims that Chief Onyema paid Umueri ₦100 million for land or that we refused to provide land for his project are completely untrue,” the monarch said. “The application for the land was made to the Anambra State Government, which allocated the site — not the community. We neither received any payment nor granted land to Air Peace.”
He added that the community possesses documentary evidence to back its claims and is ready to present them to relevant authorities.
However, Air Peace responded swiftly, defending Onyema’s integrity and clarifying that its dealings were strictly with the state government.
In a statement signed by spokesperson Osifo-Whiskey Efe and titled “Anambra Airport – Allen Onyema Did Not Lie About Paying N100m for Aircraft Maintenance Facility Land,” the airline stated:
“At no time did Air Peace accuse the Umueri community of wrongdoing. The ₦100 million payment was made to the Anambra State Government on August 26, 2021, and an official receipt was issued. A Certificate of Occupancy followed on September 14, 2021.”
The airline described the reports circulating online as “false, malicious, and defamatory,” insisting that Onyema’s transparency and patriotism remain unquestionable.
“Dr. Onyema’s commitment to national development and job creation through the MRO project remains firm,” the statement added. “This facility is designed to boost Nigeria’s aviation capacity and position the country as a major hub for aircraft maintenance in Africa.”
