allegations of wrongdoing by candidates
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 11:06 am
The project coordinator of Azikel Group Aviation Training Programme, Comrade Robert Igali, has absolved the Group of any wrongdoing in the p𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 slated for the United States of America.
He declared that the programme is genuine and meant to support young Bayelsans in pursuit of an aviation career.
Azikel Aviation Training programme, according to Robert Igali, is a self-prestigious philanthropic initiative to support Bayelsa youths aspiring for aviation training in Pilots for Helicopter, Fixed Wing Aeroplane and Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.
Comrade Igali made this known in Yenagoa while reacting to an online report accusing the Azikel group of wrongdoing and allegations raised over a 49-page petition filed before the State House of Assembly by the duo of Engr. Ezekiel Kariyai Daukoru and Engr. Yebei Ebilate Amabebe against the company.
The two candidates had told SaharaReporters that the aviation training program, launched in August 2023, had promised to send 155 successful Bayelsa youths to the United States for comprehensive pilot training.
They however alleged to have since endured 15 months of silence, broken promises, and manipulation, including a last-minute imposition of a six-month paid probation at the company’s hangar, menial tasks in place of training, and shifting timelines that never materialised.
But Igali, in his statement, noted that Azikel Aviation Training programme is a philanthropic programme without any political affiliation of financial benefit to the sponsor, it was for the sole purpose of supporting young Bayelsans who are interested in pursuit of aviation career and to obtain the best training and return to Nigeria.
He commended the President of Azikel Group, Dr. Eruani Azibabu Godbless (CFR), for the initiative and efforts to encourage and empower Bayelsa youths to become self-reliant and create a career in life.
In his words: "Applications were called from young Bayelsans free of charge and no payment of any form was requested from the candidates and all persons who applied were screened for qualification as the process was from the inception a 3 stage qualification viz qualified as persons from Bayelsa with science first degree."
"And within the age of 25 to 35, pass a computer-based test after studying the materials which the company will provide for you and admitted into the Aviation Training Programme with commencement as a Trainee in the Azikel Aviation Hanger where successful candidate will be mentored, supervised and engaged in character vetting, recommendation from their supervisor to proceed abroad and character stress with conviction that candidates will return to Nigeria after the training in the United States.
"While during the In-house Aviation Hanger understudies’ candidates will be paid net monthly of N205,200 and the character vetting and stress test was designed to elicit any form of distrust or tendency for candidates' possibility to elope from the United States upon being sent abroad.
"Two persons emerged and were selected after passing the CBT conducted on the 28th of February 2024. The candidates were immediately placed into the Aviation Training Programme in the month of March 2024, with a monthly salary, the responsibility of the trainees is to understudy in-house engineers and pilots working with Azikel Aviation.
"The participation of trainee during this In-House understudy will give the company a better opportunity to access the candidates character and personality and particularly the return of these persons to Nigeria, since the company will be standing as guarantee to the US Embassy for the return of these candidates to Nigeria after their study."
Comrade Igali said that after 16 months (March 24 to June of 2025) of practical attachment to the Azikel Aviation Hanger to satisfy endurance, capacity and security screening, the duo allegedly failed and showed that they are merely out to cause unimaginable diplomatic problems with the United States Government if eventually sent to the United States.
Igali maintained that for the 16 months duration the duo were with the Azikel Aviation Training Programme with in-house practical understudy with company engineers and pilots they were placed under a N205,200 monthly from March of 2024 and until June 2025 when they resigned from the Programme by themselves.
"The duo have earned from the company during these practical in-house under training with the sum of N3,283,200 for not doing any work for the company but being trained, character vetting and while awaiting recommendations of the aviation engineers and pilot supervisor and security vetting.
"It should be noted very clearly that Azikel Aviation is not engaged or involved in commercial flight (Chatter of Schedule) services for it to be assumed that the candidates were working for Azikel Aviation and providing commercial benefit.
"Azikel Aviation is solely for the provision of flights for the Owner, Family, Friend and Company Executive for their Private business travels,” he said.
He also insisted that during the in-house understudy at the company Aviation Hangar reports were received by management from colleagues from other Nigerian youths working at the Aviation Hanger of the two candidates of being not dedicated and loyal to their supervisors in the in-house training.
He further narrated that: "The candidates were rather complaining of too long character vetting and character tests and they want to travel to the United States. This report from the candidates’ colleagues was concerning and management decided to further look very closely into the complaints.
"The complaints received were established and true and the candidates were warned and advised to be dedicated to their in-house training and a recommendation from their supervisors is a prerequisite for their training.
"On the 26th of March 2025, the company established and commenced the admission procedure with the training facility in the United States OSM Aviation Academy and the candidates were informed and involved in the admission procedure.
"While the company has commenced full engagement with a training facility in the United States, management received a more frightening security report of candidates planning to disappear in the United States immediately upon their arrival in the US.
"That the candidates have commenced the sales of their belongings in Nigeria and that immediately they secure the visa they WILL NEVER return to Nigeria. The candidates began making these plans when it became obvious and certain that their departure to the United States is now very near.
"The issue became of grave concern, particularly when these candidates are being paid monthly, why will they be begging to sell their belongings, knowing very well that their training is for them to obtain the best aviation training in the US and to return to Nigeria, and also knowing very well that the company is going to be the guarantor to the US Embassy for their return to Nigeria.
"The Company decided to investigate in very serious detail the claims of these candidates' plans of not returning to Nigeria and also why their supervisor has not given their recommendation of good character for them to proceed abroad.
"While company commenced a detailed investigation into the security concerns of these candidates running away in the United States and company established that the candidates are selling of their belonging which should be their tier to Nigeria, the candidates became aware of the investigation and then commended a social media blackmail of the company efforts and eventually the candidates resigning from the Aviation Programme in June 2025.
"When it became very obvious that they have told friends, neighbour colleagues and the information from the security was corrected as they have sold their properties to run away immediately they arrive into the United States, without even participating in the programme.
"It was also established that the non-recommendation from their supervisor at the Aviation Hanger was also known because of their poor attitude to the training and rather been of extreme desire to travel to the United States, and this was one of the reasons their supervisor has withheld the recommendation of the candidate for unethical and non-committal to the in house training."
Igali added that when the Azikel group discovered the said red flags through repeated warnings and as the candidate resigned from the programme, "it was God's mercy in favour of the company not to have experienced where persons sponsored to the United States eloped."
He however made available copies of the resignation letters of the two selected and aggrieved candidates to newsmen and the email from the Aviation school based in the United States in which the admission into the institution remained pending and awaiting end of evaluation process as agreed between Azikel group and the school.
On the claims that they sold out their belongings during training, Igali pointed out that the duo are paid as and when due during the 16-month training at the Azikel Aviation Hanger.
"I don't know why they are claiming to have sold property. The only reason they are selling property is because they have concluded plans to NEVER return to Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/7351474 ... 7S9Ucbxw6v
He declared that the programme is genuine and meant to support young Bayelsans in pursuit of an aviation career.
Azikel Aviation Training programme, according to Robert Igali, is a self-prestigious philanthropic initiative to support Bayelsa youths aspiring for aviation training in Pilots for Helicopter, Fixed Wing Aeroplane and Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.
Comrade Igali made this known in Yenagoa while reacting to an online report accusing the Azikel group of wrongdoing and allegations raised over a 49-page petition filed before the State House of Assembly by the duo of Engr. Ezekiel Kariyai Daukoru and Engr. Yebei Ebilate Amabebe against the company.
The two candidates had told SaharaReporters that the aviation training program, launched in August 2023, had promised to send 155 successful Bayelsa youths to the United States for comprehensive pilot training.
They however alleged to have since endured 15 months of silence, broken promises, and manipulation, including a last-minute imposition of a six-month paid probation at the company’s hangar, menial tasks in place of training, and shifting timelines that never materialised.
But Igali, in his statement, noted that Azikel Aviation Training programme is a philanthropic programme without any political affiliation of financial benefit to the sponsor, it was for the sole purpose of supporting young Bayelsans who are interested in pursuit of aviation career and to obtain the best training and return to Nigeria.
He commended the President of Azikel Group, Dr. Eruani Azibabu Godbless (CFR), for the initiative and efforts to encourage and empower Bayelsa youths to become self-reliant and create a career in life.
In his words: "Applications were called from young Bayelsans free of charge and no payment of any form was requested from the candidates and all persons who applied were screened for qualification as the process was from the inception a 3 stage qualification viz qualified as persons from Bayelsa with science first degree."
"And within the age of 25 to 35, pass a computer-based test after studying the materials which the company will provide for you and admitted into the Aviation Training Programme with commencement as a Trainee in the Azikel Aviation Hanger where successful candidate will be mentored, supervised and engaged in character vetting, recommendation from their supervisor to proceed abroad and character stress with conviction that candidates will return to Nigeria after the training in the United States.
"While during the In-house Aviation Hanger understudies’ candidates will be paid net monthly of N205,200 and the character vetting and stress test was designed to elicit any form of distrust or tendency for candidates' possibility to elope from the United States upon being sent abroad.
"Two persons emerged and were selected after passing the CBT conducted on the 28th of February 2024. The candidates were immediately placed into the Aviation Training Programme in the month of March 2024, with a monthly salary, the responsibility of the trainees is to understudy in-house engineers and pilots working with Azikel Aviation.
"The participation of trainee during this In-House understudy will give the company a better opportunity to access the candidates character and personality and particularly the return of these persons to Nigeria, since the company will be standing as guarantee to the US Embassy for the return of these candidates to Nigeria after their study."
Comrade Igali said that after 16 months (March 24 to June of 2025) of practical attachment to the Azikel Aviation Hanger to satisfy endurance, capacity and security screening, the duo allegedly failed and showed that they are merely out to cause unimaginable diplomatic problems with the United States Government if eventually sent to the United States.
Igali maintained that for the 16 months duration the duo were with the Azikel Aviation Training Programme with in-house practical understudy with company engineers and pilots they were placed under a N205,200 monthly from March of 2024 and until June 2025 when they resigned from the Programme by themselves.
"The duo have earned from the company during these practical in-house under training with the sum of N3,283,200 for not doing any work for the company but being trained, character vetting and while awaiting recommendations of the aviation engineers and pilot supervisor and security vetting.
"It should be noted very clearly that Azikel Aviation is not engaged or involved in commercial flight (Chatter of Schedule) services for it to be assumed that the candidates were working for Azikel Aviation and providing commercial benefit.
"Azikel Aviation is solely for the provision of flights for the Owner, Family, Friend and Company Executive for their Private business travels,” he said.
He also insisted that during the in-house understudy at the company Aviation Hangar reports were received by management from colleagues from other Nigerian youths working at the Aviation Hanger of the two candidates of being not dedicated and loyal to their supervisors in the in-house training.
He further narrated that: "The candidates were rather complaining of too long character vetting and character tests and they want to travel to the United States. This report from the candidates’ colleagues was concerning and management decided to further look very closely into the complaints.
"The complaints received were established and true and the candidates were warned and advised to be dedicated to their in-house training and a recommendation from their supervisors is a prerequisite for their training.
"On the 26th of March 2025, the company established and commenced the admission procedure with the training facility in the United States OSM Aviation Academy and the candidates were informed and involved in the admission procedure.
"While the company has commenced full engagement with a training facility in the United States, management received a more frightening security report of candidates planning to disappear in the United States immediately upon their arrival in the US.
"That the candidates have commenced the sales of their belongings in Nigeria and that immediately they secure the visa they WILL NEVER return to Nigeria. The candidates began making these plans when it became obvious and certain that their departure to the United States is now very near.
"The issue became of grave concern, particularly when these candidates are being paid monthly, why will they be begging to sell their belongings, knowing very well that their training is for them to obtain the best aviation training in the US and to return to Nigeria, and also knowing very well that the company is going to be the guarantor to the US Embassy for their return to Nigeria.
"The Company decided to investigate in very serious detail the claims of these candidates' plans of not returning to Nigeria and also why their supervisor has not given their recommendation of good character for them to proceed abroad.
"While company commenced a detailed investigation into the security concerns of these candidates running away in the United States and company established that the candidates are selling of their belonging which should be their tier to Nigeria, the candidates became aware of the investigation and then commended a social media blackmail of the company efforts and eventually the candidates resigning from the Aviation Programme in June 2025.
"When it became very obvious that they have told friends, neighbour colleagues and the information from the security was corrected as they have sold their properties to run away immediately they arrive into the United States, without even participating in the programme.
"It was also established that the non-recommendation from their supervisor at the Aviation Hanger was also known because of their poor attitude to the training and rather been of extreme desire to travel to the United States, and this was one of the reasons their supervisor has withheld the recommendation of the candidate for unethical and non-committal to the in house training."
Igali added that when the Azikel group discovered the said red flags through repeated warnings and as the candidate resigned from the programme, "it was God's mercy in favour of the company not to have experienced where persons sponsored to the United States eloped."
He however made available copies of the resignation letters of the two selected and aggrieved candidates to newsmen and the email from the Aviation school based in the United States in which the admission into the institution remained pending and awaiting end of evaluation process as agreed between Azikel group and the school.
On the claims that they sold out their belongings during training, Igali pointed out that the duo are paid as and when due during the 16-month training at the Azikel Aviation Hanger.
"I don't know why they are claiming to have sold property. The only reason they are selling property is because they have concluded plans to NEVER return to Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/7351474 ... 7S9Ucbxw6v