EXCLUSIVE: UK-Based Nigerian Alleges £19,000 Theft After Air France, Royal Air Maroc Flight Ordeal

Oluwaseun Adebiyi, a Nigerian citizen based in the United Kingdom, landed in Lagos for what should have been a straightforward business engagement. Instead, he arrived physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and financially devastated, missing over £19,000 worth of personal items allegedly stolen from his checked-in luggage during a convoluted and delayed flight journey involving Air France and Royal Air Maroc.

In an exclusive interview with Readership NG, Adebiyi detailed what he described as “the most traumatic travel experience of my life,” raising serious concerns about baggage safety, airline accountability, and the general treatment of African passengers on international flights.

“I booked Air France from the UK to Lagos, but the flight from London to Paris was delayed by almost three hours,” Adebiyi told Readership NG. “That delay made me miss my connecting flight to Lagos. At that point, I asked to return to London or disembark entirely, but they assured me I would still be routed to Lagos.”

Air France eventually rebooked him through Casablanca, Morocco, via a Royal Air Maroc flight, turning what should have been a 9-hour journey into a grueling 21-hour trip, including layovers and flight changes. Adebiyi’s ordeal worsened when he landed in Lagos and discovered that both of his locked suitcases had been broken into.

“The locks were gone. One of the bags had the entire zipper ripped apart,” he said. “It wasn’t just damage to the exterior. My designer shoes, perfumes, jewelry, and even cash were gone. Everything I packed for this trip was worth over £19,000.”

According to Adebiyi, he tried raising alarm at the boarding gate in Paris when he noticed physical damage to his luggage but was told to lodge a complaint at his final destination.

“I even took photos of my bags before boarding,” he said. “But when I got to Lagos and saw what was left of them, I knew something terrible had happened.”

Upon reporting the matter, Adebiyi was tossed between the two airlines, with neither taking responsibility. “Air France told me Royal Air Maroc handled the second leg and I should talk to them. Royal Air Maroc said the approving manager had been away in Morocco for weeks and nobody else could do anything. It’s been more than two weeks now, and all I’ve received are excuses,” he lamented.

Efforts to get an official response from both airlines have so far been futile. Multiple calls placed by Readership NG to their customer service lines went unanswered, and emails sent to their officer have not been acknowledged at press time.

Adebiyi, who says the stolen items were meant for a major project launch in Lagos, described the fallout as “a professional and financial disaster.”

“I planned this trip to finalize a deal and deliver goods. Now, not only have I lost valuable assets, but I also couldn’t meet my commitments,” he added. “And the worst part? The airlines have gone completely silent.”

This isn’t the first time these carriers have faced similar accusations. In January 2024, Air France came under fire from passengers over missing luggage that took more than ten days to be returned. Royal Air Maroc was also embroiled in a luggage delay scandal in December 2019, prompting protests by Nigerian passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Speaking with Readership NG, aviation analyst and frequent flyer Olumide Ayeni warned that incidents like this reflect poorly on how foreign airlines perceive and treat African passengers.

“There’s a pattern here, African routes are often handled with less urgency and accountability,” Ayeni said. “Airlines that wouldn’t dare mishandle luggage on a European or North American route think they can get away with it here.”

As Adebiyi continues to seek redress, he says he’s committed to taking the matter further, possibly through legal action or formal petitions to international aviation regulators.

“I don’t want an apology anymore. I want restitution and accountability,” he concluded. “No one should go through what I went through just to get home.”

As of publication time, neither Air France nor Royal Air Maroc has responded to inquiries or offered any compensation to Mr. Adebiyi.