The prolonged industrial dispute between Air Peace and aviation workers’ unions has escalated, following a petition by the airline to the Inspector-General of Police over alleged violence, conspiracy and conduct capable of threatening public peace.

The petition has prompted a police investigation involving the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), with the union summoned to appear before the Police Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, according to The PUNCH.

In a letter dated August 26 and addressed to the ATSSSAN State Chairman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the police said they were investigating allegations bordering on “Conspiracy, Threatening Violence, Inciting Disturbance of Public Peace, Assault Occasioning Harm and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace.”

The letter, signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Magaji Mohammed on behalf of the Head of the Police Monitoring Unit, directed the ATSSSAN State Chairman to appear alongside the State Secretary on Wednesday, September 2, at 11am.

He said, “This office is investigating an alleged case of Conspiracy, Threatening Violence, Inciting Disturbance of Public Peace, Assault Occasioning Harm and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace reported to the Inspector General of Police by AirPeace Nigeria Ltd in which your Union featured prominently.

“In view of the above, you are requested to come along with the State Secretary to interview the Head, Police Monitoring Unit, through CSP Abubakar Befeto (08035743946) on Wednesday 2nd September, 2026 by 1100 hours, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

“This invitation is in pursuant to section 53(2)(A) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015. Accept my esteemed regards, please.”

ATSSSAN Secretary, Francis Akinjole, confirmed that the union received the police invitation on August 26, following the recent picketing of some airlines.

Akinjole assured that the union would honour the invitation and appear before the police as directed.

He said, “On August 26, we got an invite from the Nigeria Police in Abuja that they are investigating the unions for assault, occasioning harm among others, but no problems. We are going to the Nigeria Police Headquarters in Abuja.”

Meanwhile, the unions have accused some domestic airlines of allegedly frustrating efforts by workers to unionise and intimidating employees who seek to join organisations of their choice.

At a virtual meeting on Sunday, representatives of ATSSSAN, the National Union of Air Transport Employees and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers vowed to resist what they described as attempts to undermine organised labour in the aviation sector.

Speaking during the meeting, NAAPE General Secretary, Olayinka Abioye, attributed part of the crisis to the decline of trade unionism in the sector following the liquidation of Nigeria Airways.

Abioye said, “In the last 15 to 20 years, the aviation unions in Nigeria have been aggressive in mobilising workers for unionism.

“Trade unionism died when Nigeria Airways was wrongly liquidated by the Olusegun Obasanjo regime, as the airline had about 10,000 union members before the liquidation.”