Nigeria's largest airline Arik Air halts domestic flights

LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigeria's largest airline has halted all domestic flights, alleging that government corruption made it impossible for it to fly.

Arik Air Ltd made the announcement Thursday, as it said government officials raided its operations in Lagos, disrupting flights. The company's chairman, Chris Ndulue, said that the country's aviation minister and others were trying to destroy the airline for their own financial benefit.

A statement from Nigerian aviation officials denied that they raided Arik's operations, blaming the attack on unions. Arik ending its domestic flights will add further chaos to Nigeria's aviation industry. The country is still trying to recover from an airline crash that killed more than 160 people in June.