The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has explained the circumstances behind the prosecution of Comfort Emmanson, the female passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew members, and why Fuji music legend, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as Kwam 1, did not face similar court charges after allegedly disrupting a ValueJet flight.
The Uyo–Lagos incident involving Emmanson on Sunday drew widespread public outrage and accusations of selective justice. Viral videos captured the passenger slapping and kicking airline and airport staff, including a female air hostess, after repeatedly refusing instructions to switch off her phone before take-off. Security personnel were later seen dragging her off the aircraft.
This confrontation came just days after Ayinde was accused of obstructing ValueJet’s morning service (Flight VK 201) from Abuja to Lagos on August 5 — an incident that also sparked public criticism.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, said the two cases were not the same.
“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. The NCAA fulfilled its role by petitioning the authorities. In the Ibom Air incident, the airline immediately activated its right to pursue the matter legally because their staff had been assaulted,” Achimugu explained.
He stressed that the NCAA was not directly involved in Emmanson’s prosecution, but in Kwam 1’s case, the authority issued an advisory to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to place the musician on an indefinite flight ban pending investigations — contrary to earlier reports of a six-month suspension.
According to Achimugu, the no-fly ban on Emmanson was a decision by the airline operators, who have the legal authority to take such action.
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“We have limited aircraft capacity in Nigeria, so any risk to an aircraft is unacceptable. These planes cost huge sums to lease or purchase. If something had happened to that aircraft, could she have afforded the repairs?” he asked.
He added that the Ibom Air plane was scheduled for another flight, and removing the passenger was necessary to avoid further disruptions.
Achimugu assured that the matter would be handled fairly but warned that unruly passenger behaviour would not be tolerated.
“No matter the provocation, passengers can always file complaints with the NCAA. We will ensure fairness on all sides,” he said.
In a related development, Achimugu took to X (formerly Twitter) to call on passengers who were on the Ibom Air flight to share their eyewitness accounts to ensure a balanced investigation.
He confirmed that NCAA officers in Lagos would conduct a fact-finding mission involving the police and aviation security personnel.
“This incident is a test for the system. It shows us the gaps and loopholes in our regulations, and gives us an opportunity to close them,” he concluded.
