Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has fixed October 22, 2025, for the hearing of a breach of contract lawsuit filed by Nigerian security expert, Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu, against Virgin Atlantic Airways over the alleged loss of his luggage on a transatlantic flight.
The case, which was slated for hearing on Friday, was adjourned after the airline failed to file its defence within the period prescribed by the court.
Rabiu is demanding $4,000 as compensation for the value of his missing luggage, along with an additional ₦20 million for emotional distress, legal expenses, and general inconvenience.
According to court papers, the incident occurred on September 24, 2024, when Rabiu boarded Virgin Atlantic flight No. CNY3JV from London Heathrow Airport to Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Although his luggage was reportedly checked in properly, Rabiu said it never arrived in Lagos.
“Every other passenger retrieved their bags and left the terminal. I was the only one left stranded,” Rabiu stated in his affidavit.
He further told the court that he filed a Property Irregularity Form with the airline’s ground staff, but said his subsequent attempts to locate the missing bag or obtain compensation were ignored.
Feeling stonewalled, Rabiu said he instructed his legal team to issue a formal demand letter to the airline.
He is accusing Virgin Atlantic of a “gross breach of contract and failure in duty of care,” noting that the airline never denied that his luggage was missing, an omission he claims strengthens his case.
Virgin Atlantic, in its belated response, denied liability. The airline argued that Rabiu failed to provide adequate information on the Property Irregularity Form, making it impossible to trace the luggage.
It described allegations of fraud, recklessness, and negligence as “false and unfounded.”
The airline also argued that Rabiu’s ₦20 million demand was excessive and contrary to international legal standards.
It noted that any liability arising from the matter would be limited under the Montreal Convention of 1999, which has been incorporated into Nigerian law via the Civil Aviation Act, 2023.
Rabiu, however, dismissed Virgin Atlantic’s defence as “deliberately dilatory and vexatious,” saying the airline was more interested in evading responsibility than offering meaningful redress.
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