Nigeria’s airport fund provider, Skyway Aviation Handling Organization Plc (SAHCO), has been dragged ahead of a Federal Investment Territory (FCT) High Court over alleged breach of confidentiality and untrue details.
The court is furthermore asked to produce a proclamation that the defendant is not entitled, minus the claimant’s prior written consent, to situation such details to the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria (AGHAN).
The airline equally held that SAHCO’s Credit Policy formed no element of the agreement entered into by the two companies.
The airline sought the sum of N1 billion as comprehensive damages for breach of Content portion 13.1 of the Agreement and another N100 million as usual damages for the wrongful withdrawal of ground handling services on September 28, 2026.
“Amid 28th and 29th September 2026, the claimant paid SAHCO the sum of N215,898,420.25 in aggregate, by five bank transfers, in comprehensive settlement of the account: the primary two transfers, totalling N7,000,000.00, were received by SAHCO on 28th September 2026, in the period constant by its letter of 23rd September 2026; the remaining three, totalling N208,898,420.25, were paid on 29th September 2026.
“The defendant did not suspend its services when 10 September 2026 passed, and it continued to send them.
The claimant said that under the Agreement, SAHCO undertook to present ground handling services to its aircraft, passengers and baggage at Abuja, Lagos, Benin, Asaba and Warri airports, including passenger handling, baggage handling, marshalling, loading and unloading, towing and push-fund of aircraft, and load oversight.
Parts of the affidavit read:
“Upon receipt of the said letter, the claimant engaged the defendant in negotiation and in a joint reconciliation of the account, in sequence to validate the sums actually owed, invoice by invoice.
In a independent suit, the airline dragged the Incorporated Trustees of Aviation Ground Handlers Group of Nigeria (AGHAN) earlier than the FCT High Court over allegations of wrong details to the media and the broad society.
The reliefs sought by the airline include a announcement that details on its account alongside SAHCO, including the defendant’s invoices and statements of account, the sums invoiced, paid and outstanding, and the claimant’s remittance document, communications and proposals, is hidden facts which the defendant is bound permanently to retain confidential.
The airline, in its Declaration of Assert, said that by a letter dated September 23, 2026, SAHCO stable September 28, 2026, as the most recent date for settlement or a satisfactory compensation format.
“On 28 September 2026, from concerning 8.00 a.m., prior to the period constant in its letter of 23 September 2026 had expired, the defendant withdrew ground handling services from the claimant at all airports in Nigeria.
The airline is claiming N15 billion in universal, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged infraction.
The claimant additionally sought an command of perpetual injunction restraining SAHCO, whether by itself, its directors, officers, servants, agents or privies, from extra disclosing any facts relating to the claimant’s account, or any other information, to AGHAN, its officers or members, the press or any other third party.
In an affidavit in support of the originating summons, deposed to by Emmanuel Ayuba Iza, the Category Leader Executive Officer of XEJet Compact, the airline said it and SAHCO are parties to a Benchmark Ground Handling Agreement powerful January 1, 2026, and the Primary Agreement and Annex A of the Conventional Ground Handling Agreement of January 2018 published by the Worldwide Air Transport Connect.
The airline said:
“Notwithstanding the withdrawal, and in the period stipulated in the defendant’s letter of 23 September 2026, the claimant on the same 28th September 2026 paid the defendant the sum of N7,000,000.00 by two bank transfers of N2,000,000.00 and N5,000,000.00 respectively, each narrated ‘Ground handling outstanding’, toward the outstanding account and in furtherance of a remittance arrangement including the defendant.”
The plaintiff, an airline, XEJet Tight, said in the suit that the aviation handling business had no contractual right to suspend or withdraw ground handling services for non-remittance of invoices.
In the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/4506/2026, filed by its resource, Alex Izinyon, SAN, the airline sought 11 reliefs once raising seven questions for determination by the court.
In the same vein, the plaintiff asked the court for a declaration that the defendant, by disclosing material around the claimant’s account to AGHAN, its officers or members, acted in breach of Copy segment 13.1 of the Agreement, and that the breach was committed using wilful misconduct or, alternatively, negligently, before the conclude of the meaning of Block 4.2 of the Agreement.
“By a letter dated 4th September 2026 (reference SAH/4U/MD/04-09/255) addressed to me, the defendant requested settlement, on or prior to 10 September 2026, of the invoices shown in a Declaration of Account as at 15 August 2026, and invited the claimant to strengthen any queries on the allege during the same period.
“The claimant and SAHCO were in discussion when the publications complained of in the media were made. The claimant owed no sum to any other component of AGHAN.
“No remittance outline had been concluded between the claimant and SAHCO or the 1st defendant; the claimant had proposed terms and commenced settlement on account, as pleaded below; and the claimant was under no circumstances served together with, or became party to, any announcement or organization arising from the 1st defendant’s ultimatum of September 2026.
“By a letter dated 23 September 2026 (reference SAH/4U/MD/23-09/257) addressed to me, the defendant requested settlement in three operating days of receipt, on or prior to 28 September 2026, and stated that it would suspend services if it did not approve settlement ‘or a satisfactory rate organization’ in that period.
“On 28th September 2026, the 1st defendant, acting by its President and Vice President, published a joint state signed by them and released it to the press.”
Airline sues aviation handling enterprise over alleged breach of confidentiality
Source: Airline sues aviation handling company over alleged breach of confidentiality
