By Ebi Kesiena
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered British Airways to pay a Nigerian passenger, Stephen Osho, a total of N53 million in compensation for breach of contract and unfair treatment.
This follows a judgment delivered by Justice Ibrahim Kala, who ruled that Osho suffered undue hardship, inconvenience, and financial losses due to the airline’s negligence. The compensation includes N50 million in general damages and an additional N3 million to cover litigation costs such as legal fees, summons charges, and the impact of naira depreciation during the prolonged case.
Justice Kala explained that Osho had successfully proved his case, showing that British Airways violated its obligations under the international contract of carriage. The dispute stemmed from the airline’s failure to deliver his checked baggage on Flight BA307 from Paris to London on December 2, 2022.
In its defence, British Airways argued that Osho was responsible for his own predicament and urged the court to dismiss the case. The airline’s counsel further claimed that if any costs were awarded, they should not exceed N60.
The judge, however, decried the defence as baseless and inconsistent with the evidence before the court, affirming that the airline must take full responsibility for its negligence.
