“It Was All Make-Believe” — Second Beneficiary Sues Dr Eruani, Azikel Group for ₦1.9bn Over Failed Aviation Scholarship
By Passman Akpos
YENAGOA — The controversy surrounding the proposed Azikel Aviation Scholarship Programme has deepened as a second successful beneficiary, Yebei Amabebe, has filed a ₦1.9 billion lawsuit against Bayelsa businessman and politician Dr. Eruani Azibapu and the Azikel Group, alleging breach of contract and fraud.
The suit, filed before the Bayelsa State High Court and marked Suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/386/2026, seeks specific performance of the alleged scholarship agreement and substantial damages over what the claimant describes as a failed aviation training programme
According to court documents seen by our correspondent, Amabebe claimed he was one of only two candidates who successfully passed the rigorous selection process for the fully funded aviation scholarship announced by the Azikel Group in 2024.
The scholarship was publicly presented as a multi-billion-naira initiative to train outstanding Bayelsa youths as commercial pilots up to Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) level and aircraft engineers in the United States.
However, Amabebe alleged that instead of receiving the promised international aviation training, he and fellow successful candidate Kariyai Daukoru spent about 16 months working at the Azikel aviation hangar under what he described as poorly compensated conditions without the promised overseas education.
In the statement of claim, the plaintiff alleged that the scholarship programme was never backed by genuine partnerships or the necessary legal, financial and institutional framework required to deliver the advertised training.
He further claimed that investigations conducted after the programme commenced allegedly revealed that the organisations publicly listed as partners—including Emirates Air and the United States Embassy—had no formal partnership with Dr. Eruani or the Azikel Group regarding the scholarship.
Amabebe contended that the programme was allegedly designed primarily to enhance the public image of the sponsors while exploiting the labour and aspirations of participating youths.
The claimant is asking the court to compel the defendants to fulfil the terms of the scholarship agreement and award ₦1.9 billion in damages for the alleged breach of contract and the professional and personal losses he claims to have suffered.
The latest lawsuit comes amid growing legal disputes surrounding the aviation scholarship initiative.
Earlier, the two trainees had petitioned the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, accusing the Azikel Group of abandoning the scholarship programme after making public promises of international aviation training.
In response to those allegations, the company’s Lead Communications Officer, Austin Ebipade, maintained that the trainees were not abandoned but were undergoing paid in-house probation and receiving practical aviation experience in a conducive working environment.
Meanwhile, the first successful beneficiary, Kariyai Daukoru, had previously instituted a separate suit against Dr. Eruani in Suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/46/2026 over the same scholarship programme.
Daukoru is currently being held at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following a petition reportedly filed by Dr. Eruani alleging cyberbullying and cyberstalking.
Speaking on behalf of Amabebe, one of his lawyers, Ferdinand Nta, said his client remains committed to pursuing justice through the courts despite what he described as attempts to intimidate those challenging the programme.
“Our client is well aware of the antics of Dr. Eruani in trying to silence them using state machinery and apparatus at his disposal. Our client is resolved in seeking justice and ensuring that the almost two years of his life wasted relying on a promise built on make-believe is adequately compensated,” Nta said.
He added that Amabebe is seeking judicial redress for what he described as a serious breach of contract and the extensive professional and personal setbacks allegedly suffered as a result of the failed scholarship programme.
The allegations contained in the lawsuit are the claimant’s claims before the court. As of the time of filing this report, the court has not determined the merits of the case, and the defendants are entitled to respond to the allegations during the judicial proceedings.
