Advertising Offences Tribunal Issues Bench Warrant Against Aero Contractors’ MD

The Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT) has issued a bench warrant for Captain Ado Sanusi, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, due to his failure to appear before the tribunal in an ongoing case regarding alleged breaches of Nigerian advertising laws.

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has leveled a 22-count charge against both Captain Sanusi and Aero Contractors, accusing them of running advertisements aimed at the Nigerian market without the required approval from the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP). This action, according to ARCON, violates established Nigerian advertising regulations.

Originally set for hearing on February 26, 2025, the case saw Captain Sanusi absent, although his legal team assured the tribunal he would attend the next session and requested leniency. Despite these assurances, Sanusi did not appear on the rescheduled date.

In response to his persistent absence, the Advertising Offences Tribunal has taken steps to enforce compliance with advertising regulations by issuing a bench warrant for his arrest. The tribunal has mandated that Captain Sanusi be brought before it at the next session, scheduled for May 8, 2025. Further developments in the case are anticipated following the tribunal’s next meeting in May.