The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK), has announced final resolutions to the high-profile cases involving Comfort Emmanson and Fuji music legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, also known as KWAM 1. The incidents, which sparked intense public debate, have drawn attention to passenger behaviour and airline security protocols in Nigeria.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the Minister’s intervention follows days of engagement with key stakeholders and the individuals involved. Over the past 48 hours, consultations have been held to address the events, which he described as “regrettable but important lessons” for both passengers and aviation personnel on the need for decorum, compliance, and professionalism.
Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, said the resolution recognises that wrongs were committed by both the passengers and airline staff. “All parties must accept responsibility for their actions rather than focus only on grievances. These cases have highlighted the importance of respecting security protocols at our airports,” he added.
Following appeals from concerned Nigerians and the remorse shown by those involved, the Minister announced the following actions:
Withdrawal of Complaint: Ibom Airline will formally withdraw its criminal complaint against Ms. Emmanson over her unruly conduct on August 10, 2025.
Release from Custody: The Airport Police Command will secure her release from Kirikiri Prisons within the week.
Ban Lifted: The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) will remove the lifetime flying ban placed on Ms. Emmanson and issue a public statement.
For KWAM 1, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will reduce his flight ban to one month. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will also work with him as a public ambassador to promote airport security awareness. The NCAA will withdraw its criminal complaint against the musician.
For ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, whose licences were suspended, the NCAA will restore them after a one-month suspension and mandatory re-certification.
The Minister also directed all aviation agencies to hold a sector-wide security retreat next week, in partnership with other government agencies. The retreat will retrain security personnel on handling disruptive passengers, de-escalation techniques, and improving staff-passenger relations. Airline operators will also review and improve their staff conduct policies.
Keyamo stressed that the decisions were made on compassionate grounds and do not represent leniency towards breaches of aviation safety rules. “Government will not compromise on enforcement. These resolutions close the matter but mark the start of stricter compliance going forward,” he said.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the resolutions have been welcomed as a balanced step towards fairness, accountability, and professionalism in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
