SAN Sues Qatar Airways Over ‘Visa Scam, Abandonment,’ Demands ₦500m, $500,000 Damages
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, has dragged Qatar Airways before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged breach of contract, negligence and inhuman treatment, demanding ₦500 million and $500,000 in damages.
In the suit filed on January 19, 2026, Okutepa accused the airline of subjecting him to what he described as sustained humiliation, hardship and abandonment during an international trip that left him stranded in both the Middle East and North America.
According to court documents, the senior lawyer said he purchased a business-class return ticket from Abuja to Toronto to attend the 2025 International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference in Canada, following promotional messages from Qatar Airways.
The airline, he claimed, assured him of transit visa processing for Doha, hotel accommodation during stopovers and other travel support.
Okutepa said he relied on those assurances in entering into a contract of carriage with the airline and subsequently submitted all required documents for the transit visa. He added that Qatar Airways later issued confirmations, including a Stopover for the Purpose of Connection (STPC) receipt detailing hotel reservations in Doha, further reinforcing his belief that the arrangements had been concluded.
However, the SAN told the court that despite repeated assurances, the airline failed to process or provide the promised transit visa.
He stated that on October 29, 2025, he was checked in without any hitch at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and boarded his Doha-bound flight after being assured by Qatar Airways staff that the transit visa would be ready upon arrival.
That assurance, he said, proved false.
Upon landing in Doha, Okutepa alleged that he was informed there was no transit visa on record for him. As a result, he claimed he was forced to remain overnight at the airport for about eight hours, without access to the hotel accommodation earlier confirmed by the airline, incurring over $500 in feeding and incidental expenses.
The ordeal, he said, worsened during his return journey.
After completing his engagement at the IBA conference in Toronto, Okutepa alleged that Qatar Airways staff at Toronto Pearson International Airport refused to check him in for his return flight on November 10, 2025, again citing the absence of a transit visa.
He said all appeals for assistance, including requests to see the airline’s station manager, were rejected. When he sought to amend his ticket to avoid transiting through Doha, the airline allegedly demanded an additional $5,000.
Upon his refusal to pay the amount, Okutepa claimed he was denied boarding entirely and abandoned at the airport without any form of support or alternative arrangement.
Stranded, the SAN said he paid for an overnight stay at an airport hotel in Toronto and later purchased a new Ethiopian Airlines business-class ticket at a cost exceeding $3,600 to return to Nigeria.
In the suit, Okutepa accused Qatar Airways of wrongful denial of boarding, breach of duty of care, negligence and unfair trade practices. He further alleged that the airline’s conduct reflected a broader pattern of treating Nigerian passengers with “scorn, contempt and indignity,” in violation of international aviation standards.
Among the reliefs sought are declaratory orders, a nationwide public apology to be published on the airline’s website, refunds and special damages exceeding $7,000, ₦500 million in general damages, $500,000 in exemplary damages, interest at 21 per cent, and ₦50 million as legal costs.
The SAN is also asking the court to compel Qatar Airways to publicly commit to improved customer care, strict adherence to international best practices and responsible corporate conduct.
Court documents further revealed that as of the time of filing the suit, Qatar Airways had allegedly failed to respond to a formal pre-action demand letter issued by Okutepa’s legal team.
The case is expected to test airline accountability, consumer protection and the treatment of Nigerian passengers by international carriers in cross-border air travel.
