The aviation authority released an ambiguous statement absolving self from the Arik problems.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, in an ambiguous statement Thursday afternoon, dissociated itself from the crisis being faced by Arik Air.

The airport authority said it was unaware of plans by members of the aviation industrial unions to disrupt Arik Airline’s flights.

It however claimed that the disruption by the aviation unions is a continuation of the current effort by the management of FAAN to recover debt owed the agency by Arik.

The airport authority claimed it is doing everything to make sure the issues are resolved without recourse to violence. It refused to state clearly whether it ordered the suspension of Arik or it did not.

As at 3.15 p.m. Arik was yet to begin a press conference it scheduled for 1.00 p.m.

The airline had suspended its operations based on what it described as “persistent hostility of the Ministry of Aviation and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) management.”

The airline’s operations across the country are still suspended, and passengers are stranded.