The controversy surrounding the Azikel Aviation Training Programme has escalated into a legal battle, with Kariyai Daukoru and Ebilate Yebei officially serving Dr. Eruani Azibapu Godbless and the Azikel Group a Pre-Action Notice on July 28, 2025. This marks the beginning of a formal court process, with the case expected to proceed if no resolution is reached by August 26, 2025.
𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗨𝗧𝗘
-August 2023: Azikel Group Announced Applications for Aviation Training via social media and Radio
- March 5th 2024: Kariyai and Ebilate passed Azikel’s aviation training exam.
- March 6th 2024- Azikel Group announced on Rythm 93.7 that the duos visa were in process and in 10 days time, duo will leave to USA for training.
- April–September 2024: They were placed on a 6-month secret probation at Azikel Hangar doing menial jobs and asked not to post online about it.
September - December 2024- Duo wrote letters to Azikel Group informing them of probation completetion as Azikel Group Ignores all letters.
- December 2024: Azikel claimed financial constraints delayed their overseas training as company was expecting a loan. Same company that claimed funds were set aside to train 50/155 candidates. Promised a new date.
- March 2025: Promised travel date passed without action. Threats of public relations battle by Presley Asemota, Executive Director of Azikel Group
- July 1 2024- Total of 13 formal letters sent to Azikel requesting for updates, only one letter responded to.
- July 1, 2025: The duo resigned and submitted a petition to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
- July 28, 2025: They served Azikel Group a Pre-Action Notice, initiating legal proceedings.
𝗔𝗭𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗟 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣'𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗘
Azikel Group, through Robert Igali, and DR Eruani has denied any wrongdoing:
- Claimed the programme was philanthropic, not commercial.
- Asserted that the trainees were paid ₦205,200 monthly during their 16-month in-house training.
- Alleged the trainees planned to abscond upon reaching the U.S., citing security reports.
- Claimed the trainees failed to earn supervisor recommendations due to poor attitude.
- Claimed the trainees were not interested in learning.
- Accused the duo of launching a social media smear campaign after learning of internal investigations.
𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗠
- The trainees have retained a reputable Abuja-based law firm, represented locally by Barr. Wisdom Adike Esq.
- The Pre-Action Notice legally binds Azikel Group to respond within 30 days, failing which the case will proceed to court.
𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗔𝗭𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗟 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗦
- Key Azikel staff like Kelvin Eseimokumoh, Ekimini Udo and Robert Igali have gone silent online.
- Internal communications and public broadcasts have reportedly been halted.
- This suggests legal caution following the Pre-Action Notice.
𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦
The case has stirred strong reactions online, with many viewing it as a David vs Goliath moment for Bayelsa youths. It underscores:
- The power of legal recourse over political influence.
- The importance of youth integrity and accountability.
- The potential for social media posts to be used as court evidence.
𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦
1. Why did Igali lie on the 6th of March 2024,that their visas were already in process and they will leave in 10days,when they did not even have admission then?
2. Why the threats of a public relations battle if there was intent to train them?
3. Why were they not offered scholarship award letters or training bonds but rather employment letters? Did they seek employment with Azikel Group?
4. Why were their letters ignored?
5. When did Robert Igali suddenly become the coordinator of the program?
6. When their supervisor said they failed security test, what did DR Eruani do? Can he prove he fired them or informed them?
7. Why did Eruani say he kept aside funds to train 155 candidates publicly only to tell them privately that he needed a loan to train them?
8. Why would the HR threaten them, that they have no legal recourse if Eruani does not train them?
9. Who were the new candidates added to the training and why?
10. Was this all a show to boost someone's philanthropic image?
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧?
- August 26, 2025: Deadline for Azikel Group to respond to the Pre-Action Notice.
- If unresolved, the case will move to court proceedings, possibly escalating to higher judicial levels.
𝟑 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃
𝐍𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐍𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬
𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐄𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐢'𝐒 𝐖𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝟏𝟓𝟓 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬.
𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆.
