The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK), has announced decisive resolutions on the recent incidents involving Ms. Comfort Emmanson and music icon Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (popularly known as KWAM 1), which had sparked widespread public debate and brought renewed focus to passenger conduct and airline security protocols in Nigeria.
Over the past 48 hours, the Minister has engaged in consultations with critical stakeholders in the aviation sector and individuals involved in the unfortunate incidents. According to the Minister, although regrettable, the events have served as important case studies for both the travelling public and airline personnel on the importance of decorum, compliance, and professional handling of security matters within the aviation space.
“Clear wrongs were committed by both the offending passengers and the airline staff involved. All parties must acknowledge their own culpability rather than focus solely on their grievances. These incidents have been valuable in raising awareness about proper conduct and the enforcement of airport security protocols,” the Minister said.
Following careful review, appeals from well-meaning Nigerians, and the remorse shown by those involved, the Minister announced the following decisions:
Withdrawal of Complaint: The Minister has conferred with Ibom Airline to formally withdraw its criminal complaint against Ms. Comfort Emmanson over her unruly conduct on Sunday, August 10, 2025.
Release from Custody: Upon withdrawal, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, and the Police Prosecutor will take immediate steps to secure Ms. Emmanson’s release from Kirikiri Prisons within this week.
Ban Lifted: Following the Minister’s appeal, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have agreed to lift the lifetime flying ban imposed on Ms. Emmanson. The AON will issue a separate public statement with details of the resolution.
In the case of the Fuji music czar, Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe a.k.a K1, the Minister has directed that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reduce his flight ban to one month while the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will collaborate with KWAM 1 to engage him as a public ambassador for proper airport security protocol awareness. The NCAA will also withdraw its criminal complaint against KWAM 1 lodged with the Police.
In the case of ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, who were sanctioned in relation to the incident, the duo will have their licenses restored after serving a one-month suspension and undergo mandatory professional re-appraisal. NCAA will release full details of the re-certification process.
In the same vein, the Minister has also directed that all relevant aviation agencies, in collaboration with other complementary government agencies, to commence a sector-wide security retreat next week. This will focus on :Retraining security personnel on managing disruptive passengers, techniques for de-escalating potentially explosive situations and improving staff-passenger relations and professional conduct. The retreat will be open to the press, with opportunities for public accountability through direct questions to officials.
Airline operators will also hold dedicated sessions focusing on their staff’s conduct towards the travelling public.
On the final note, the aviation
Minister emphasized that these resolutions were taken purely on compassionate grounds and do not signal tolerance for breaches of aviation safety or security regulations.
“Government will never pander to base sentiments or politically motivated opinions where clear violations of the law are involved. These clemencies mark the end of the matter, but also the beginning of stricter enforcement going forward,” he stated.
