Abuja — A Nigerian citizen and ethics crusader, Ike Onyechere, has filed a N2000 million suit against KLM Royal Dutch Airline, being general and exemplary damages for allegedly treating him like a drug carrier and common criminal thereby subjecting him to public ridicule, embarrassment and loss of reputation and emotional trauma.

In addition, he is demanding a refund of N619,924.00 from the airline being the cost of purchasing the ticket from the defendant which he was prevented from using.

The amount also covers the cost of transportation from Edgeway Street, London, to the airline's office at Hurtinecross and from Abuja to Lagos to lay complaint and seek redress in the defendant's offices in London and Abuja. Justice Olusumbo Goodluck of an Abuja High Court has fixed December 12, 2009 as hearing date after the defendant has entered appearance and filed its statement of defence.

In the suit filed by his counsel, Lilian Ojimma Obiadusi, Onyechere told the court that on May 21, 2008, he visited the office of the defendant in Abuja to make travel enquiries concerning his proposed journey and to purchase the defendant's air ticket.

According to him, "The defendant's representative informed him that it was possible to purchase ticket for his journey from Accra to London en-route Amsterdam and from London through Amsterdam back to Accra from its Abuja office.

"Based on the foregoing representation, the plaintiff purchased a ticket from the defendant's office in Abuja for the sum of N119, 924.00 and reservation confirmed. The defendant reportedly issued the plaintiff an e- ticket for the transaction. "However, when the plaintiff presented himself at Accra Airport [where he had gone to visit his son] to board the defendant's aircraft to London, he was prevented by the defendant's representative in Accra from boarding the aircraft on the ground that he purchased his ticket in Nigeria.

According to his counsel, "my client tried his best to explain to the defendant's representative at Accra Airport that he was assured by the defendant's representative in Nigeria where he purchased the ticket that he could use the ticket from Accra to London which was the basis upon which he bought the ticket.

But his explanations did not sway the defendant's representative."

The counsel further told the court that "despite the plaintiff's clarifications, the defendant's representative at Accra Airport rudely and scornfully told the plaintiff that he will not be allowed to board the Airline at Accra Airport which, according to the defendant, the plaintiff intended to use as a medium of carrying drugs from Nigeria to London."

"As a result, my client had to hurriedly source for funds in Accra by borrowing money at a very exorbitant interest rate in order to purchase a British Airways ticket from Accra to London at the cost of USD1, 062.00 and an e-ticket issued to him." Pained by the incautious manner the plaintiff was treated by the defendant's representative in Accra, the plaintiff on arrival in London, traveled from Hilton Metropol Hotel, Egdeway Street, London, to the defendant's office at Hurtingcross to lay a complaint about his humiliation in Accra and the flagrant breach of their contractual agreement.