The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified why Comfort Emmanson, a passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew, was charged in court and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, while Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as Kwam 1, faced no such prosecution after a reported ValueJet flight disruption.
Two Separate Incidents, Different Airline Actions
The Uyo–Lagos incident involving Emmanson on Sunday triggered public outrage and allegations of selective justice. Viral footage showed Emmanson slapping and kicking airline and airport officials, including a female air hostess, after repeatedly refusing instructions to turn off her phone before take-off. She was later dragged off the aircraft by security personnel.
Just days earlier, on August 5, Ayinde was accused of obstructing ValueJet’s morning service (Flight VK 201) from Abuja to Lagos, an incident that also drew criticism from the public.
Speaking on The Morning Brief programme on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, said the situations could not be equated.
“There is no comparison here; it’s not a case of oranges and oranges. In the Kwam 1 incident, the airline did not activate its rights to take the passenger to court, so the NCAA did what it was supposed to do by petitioning the authorities to petition the passenger. In the Ibom Air incident, maybe because their staff had been assaulted, the airline immediately activated its right to take up the matter, and it went to court.”NCAA’s Role and Airline Rights
Achimugu stressed that the NCAA was not directly involved in Emmanson’s case. In contrast, in Kwam 1’s case, the authority issued an advisory to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to ban him from flights.
He also clarified that Kwam 1 was not under a six-month ban, but rather an indefinite suspension pending the outcome of investigations.
On Emmanson’s lifetime no-fly ban, Achimugu explained that Nigerian airlines have the legal right to impose such measures.
“We have a lot of flight disruptions in Nigeria because we lack capacity. There aren’t enough aircraft to meet demand. So, while managing the limited capacity we have, any risk to an aircraft is unacceptable. People spend huge sums leasing or buying aircraft — do you want to destroy them?”He noted that the Ibom Air plane was scheduled for another flight, and failure to remove Emmanson could have caused further delays.
Warning Against Unruly Behaviour
Achimugu assured that Emmanson’s case would be handled fairly but warned that unruly behaviour will not be tolerated.
“No matter the provocation, you can always file your complaints with the NCAA, and it will be dealt with. On our part, we will ensure fairness on every side.”Call for Witnesses and Investigation Plans
In a separate post on X, Achimugu invited passengers from the Ibom Air flight to share their accounts.
“Any person who was a passenger on that flight and witnessed the events should, as a matter of urgency, reach out to me via DM or email. Once verified, we can discuss and understand other perspectives. This does not excuse unruly behaviour, but it will ensure every other person culpable is held accountable.”He revealed that NCAA officers in Lagos will conduct a fact-finding mission, working with police and other security agencies involved.
Lessons for the Aviation Industry
Achimugu said the incident highlights the need to close operational loopholes and strengthen procedures in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
“It is a test for the system. No matter how fine regulations are, human behaviour will always be unpredictable. When these events occur, we are able to see the gaps and pluck loopholes.”