…Oshiomhole, Kwam 1, Emmanson’s incidents highlight growing impunity, entitlement spirit
…As FG receives knocks for rewarding bad behaviour
Growing unruly passenger incidents in Nigeria seems to show that anything is possible in the country and with little or no punishment; people can get away with committing breach of safety.
Although there are laws, Nigerians have expressed concerns that influential members of society take laws in their hand and get away with murder.
These people are often heard screaming, “do you know who I am”?
What they cannot do outside Nigeria, the “big men” and leaders in public offices do here without consequences.
Instead of facing punishment, they begin to drop names and threatening staff of airlines.
Another worrisome trend is the penchant to send videos of people to social media platforms unsolicited. The leakage of the video, showing the unclad body of one of the passengers in the aviation saga has become an issue of concern.
Adams Oshiomhole recently lost his cool at Air Piece staff; Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate or simply, Kwam 1, not only had an altercation with the crew members, but had to block the aircraft from taking off. The Ibom Air incident also showed a case not handled well by both the culprit and the airline.
There was a cry for justice in the case of Comfort Emmanson who was charged to court and remanded in Kirikiri prison, since the same punishment was not meted out in the case of Oshiomhole and Kwam 1.
Festus Keyamo, minister of Aviation, had to step in and announce the lowering of the penalties imposed on the people. The minister pre-empted what the public would be thinking about the government’s intervention.
Concerned Nigerians had argued that if Kwam 1 was not involved, Comfort would have been left to rot in jail. Many are already faulting the forgiveness and saying the government is giving undue favouritism to Kwam 1.
A look into recent safety breaches
The case of Oshiomhole:
Two months ago, Air Peace stated that its flight operations were disrupted after Adams Oshiomhole, the prominent Nigerian politician who missed his flight, resorted to violence.
The airline said the politician arrived at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) at approximately 06:10 AM for Flight P47120 scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 06:30 AM.
In line with the airline’s standard on-time departure policy, the boarding process had closed, and the flight departed as scheduled.
Upon being informed of the missed flight, the politician was said to have resorted to violence, physically assaulting its staff and forcefully barricading the terminal’s entrance.
However, Oshiomhole denied the allegations alleging that he rejected preferential treatment and stood up against what he described as systemic extortion and poor customer service by the Nigerian airline.
He said his recent experiences with Air Peace highlighted the growing impunity and disregard for passengers’ rights in the country’s aviation sector.
Kwam 1’s suicide mission at tarmac:
Kwam 1’s incident which occurred on 5 August 2025, involved a ValueJet Airlines aircraft preparing to taxi. The singer was seen in viral footage standing in front of the plane and was said to have allegedly assaulted an airport official. The act drew widespread condemnation, with calls for his arrest and prosecution.
He was placed on an indefinite flight ban, and a petition was written against him.
But the singer, last Friday, released an apology, admitted his fault, and pleaded for forgiveness.
“I take full responsibility for all incidents. Once again, I seek forgiveness from Mr. President, the Minister for Aviation, the pilot, the airline staff, passengers, and my fans across the globe,” the Fuji star said.
Explaining the events leading to the altercation, the Fuji singer said the matter arose from a water container he was carrying.
“I poured water in it because of my health situation. I need to be sipping water because I’m dehydrated, as recommended by my doctor,” he said.
More than one week after the incident, Keyamo said the NCAA will also restore the licences of ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba – who were on board the aircraft – after a one-month suspension.
Emmanson: Highly provoked, but unruly:
On Sunday, August 10, 2025, an incident on board Ibom Air’s Uyo–Lagos flight involving a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, whose conduct posed a serious threat to the safety of our crew, passengers, and aircraft.
Shortly before take-off from Uyo, Emmanson was instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures to switch off her mobile phone. She was alleged to have bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off. This action prompted a verbal tirade from Emmanson. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.
Upon arrival in Lagos, Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and then, allegedly proceeded to confront the Purser who had earlier instructed her. She walked up to the unsuspecting Purser, stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses and threw it to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her. She slapped her several times and when the other cabin crew member tried to intervene, she slapped her too. She then attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.
By this time, the Pilot-in-Command had alerted airport security. Before security could arrive, the Purser, as seen on the viral video on the internet, prevented the passenger from leaving the aircraft until security arrived. The arrival of Ibom Air Security personnel, did not deter the passenger, as she attacked them as well, lashing out violently at the security personnel. She was then restrained and removed from the aircraft by force. Even after disembarking, she continued to assault Ibom Air security personnel and even slapped the ground supervisor.
Co-passenger’s account:
David Ogebe, a lawyer and co-passenger with the embattled Emmanson, spoke on Channels Television Thursday Morning Brief, saying that he witnessed the incident while on-board the flight the faithful day.
Ogebe, who said that he sat on the same row of seats with Emmanson, explained that he saw “everything that transpired” on the aircraft.
According to him, one of the airline’s air hostesses threatened to deal with the female passenger during the flight. He however, said that the first air hostess was professional and polite, briefing passengers on emergency exit procedures before asking Emmanson to switch off her phone.
Ogebe recalled that tension began to rise when a second air hostess approached “with a posture that showed she came for trouble,” repeating the instruction to Emmanson to switch off her phone.
The eyewitness also recalled that Emmanson had said that the buttons on her phone were not working and asked for help, and the crew member said she was not going to touch the phone.
He said that another passenger volunteered to help her switch off the phone following the back-and-forth arguments between the two.
Ogebe stressed that Emmanson never refused to switch off her phone in the first place, saying, “She was trying to switch off her phone (but) she said had issues switching it off.”
He said the exchange escalated when the second air hostess allegedly warned, “If you say another word, I will deal with you,” prompting an angry reaction laced with expletives.
He also said that throughout the flight, Emmanson appeared visibly upset, muttering that she was being singled out despite paying for her ticket. He claimed the second air hostess “kept peeping” to check on her, while the first remained “very polite, amiable and professional.”
“If this whole issue had been handled by the first air hostess, it would not have come up at all, but Emmanson’s reaction was completely not commensurate with the situation,” he said, describing her behaviour during the arrest as “extremely violent.”
On why he decided to speak out, Ogebe said the public narrative painted Emmanson as a “regular indisciplined Nigerian” refusing instructions. He insisted the second air hostess “needs training,” while the first “deserves an award” for professionalism.
Hasty judgment by AON, Aviation security, Ibom Air
Unlike the case of Kwam 1 and Oshomhole, two prominent persons, Emmanson was dragged away from the ramp and taken into custody by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
Ibom Air also submitted a report on the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and placed a travel restriction on Emmanson, to no longer fly on any of the airline’s aircraft.
Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) immediately issued a statement stating that effective immediately they have placed Comfort Emmanson, the Air passenger who assaulted a staff of Ibom Air on Sunday, on its ‘No Fly’ list indefinitely.
“She is hereby banned from flying with any AON member either domestically or internationally for life. Such incidents have become one too many with the most recent being the incident involving Nigerian musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) on ValueJet and the unruly behaviour of Senator Adams Oshiomhole towards the members of staff of Air Peace,” Obiora Okonkwo, spokesperson for Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), said.
Emmanson was immediately charged to court and remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
Tunde Moshood, special adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, confirmed the development in a post on his official X handle on Monday.
“The more reason the flying public should be more careful, the unruly passenger on the Uyo–Lagos bound Ibom Air, Comfort Emmanson, has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri,” Moshood wrote.
His statement comes amid warnings by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority that stricter enforcement actions will be taken against passengers engaging in disruptive conduct, which has been on the rise in Nigerian airports.
Ibom Air/security officials faulted
Some organisations have faulted the manner Emmanson was treated by staff of Ibom Air and have called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Civil Society Organisation, The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), also offered to provide free legal services to Emmanson, describing her treatment as “unfair, unjust, and unacceptable.”
The NBA condemned the treatment of the passenger and described the lifetime flight ban imposed on the passenger by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), as arbitrary and unjust.
According to the legal body, the actions were heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity.
Noting that the embattled passenger was not afforded fair hearing before she was slammed with the punitive actions, the NBA, while demanding an independent investigation, urged an immediate withdrawal of the lifetime flight ban.
Likewise, the NBA called for the arrest and prosecution of those that recorded and distributed the unedited footage that exposed Emmanson’s nudity to the public.
In a statement issued on Monday by Omoniyi Akingunola, the Head of Office, CSO also offered to provide free legal services to Emmanson, describing her treatment as “unfair, unjust, and unacceptable.”
Akingunola also faulted the police for rushing to court without conducting adequate fact-finding after the incident.
He said publicly available footage of the incident is incomplete, noting that the altercation began onboard the aircraft.
The NEFGAD’s chief insisted that Ibom Air must release the in-flight video footage to clarify whether Emmanson’s actions were provoked.
“It is wrong to judge the incident based solely on the clip recorded outside the aircraft. It appears something happened inside the plane, and the lady reacted after she was prevented from disembarking, an apparent orchestrated provocation to ensure she was penalised for whatever had transpired in-flight,” the statement reads.
He questioned how anyone forcibly dragged down a plane could be expected to behave civilly and why a passenger ready to disembark suddenly refused to leave moments later.
Akingunola suggested the situation was deliberately escalated to fit a certain narrative, adding that cabin crew should not act as law enforcement officers, especially when their actions resulted in physical assault.
Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor, also strongly condemned the treatment meted out to Emmanson, who was arrested and stripped by security officials after assaulting a crew member on a flight from Uyo to Lagos.
While Obi acknowledged that Emmanson’s behaviour was unacceptable, he emphasized that the manner in which she was handled by security officials was “dehumanizing” and unacceptable.
Obi highlighted the disparity in how Emmanson was treated compared to KWAM 1, who allegedly prevented a ValueJet aircraft from taking off and put hundreds of lives at risk.
Unlike Emmanson, KWAM 1 has not been arrested or arraigned, with some government officials calling for him to be forgiven. Obi questioned the selective application of justice in this case, emphasizing that justice should be fair and equal for all.
Obi emphasised the need for fairness and equality in the justice system, stating that justice in Nigeria should not be based on an individual’s influence or access to government officials. He urged the Minister of Aviation and other relevant authorities to explain the double standards in their adjudication, stressing that justice must be served fairly and equally to all.
“The treatment meted out to this young woman was dehumanizing.
“Justice in Nigeria must never be about who is poor or powerless versus who has influence or access to government officials…We must build a country where justice is fair, equal, and not selective,” Obi said.
What the law says
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) defines an unruly passenger as a passenger who fails to respect the rules of conduct at an airport or on board an aircraft or to follow the instructions of the airport staff or crew members and thereby disturbs the good order and discipline at an airport or on board the aircraft.
The Tokyo Convention (1963) also known as The Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, makes it unlawful to commit “Acts which, whether or not they are offences (against the penal law of a State), may or do jeopardise the safety of the aircraft or of persons or property therein or which jeopardise good order and discipline on board.”
Safety and security are considered the airline industry’s top priorities. However, disruptive passengers have, over the past several years, become more prevalent and unruly passenger incidents are currently a very real and serious threat to both safety and security.
It is for each state in its national law to identify specific offenses and prescribe particular penalties or charges for such offenses. Guidance material is provided in the Manual on the Legal Aspects of Unruly and Disruptive Passengers (ICAO Doc 10117), which contains a list of offences most likely to be committed on board aircraft by unruly and disruptive passengers, which States may choose to incorporate into their national legislation.
Penalties and sanctions are at the discretion of States. Offences and acts may be penalised through a range of options from criminal prosecution to application of civil and administrative sanctions depending on the seriousness of the offence or act as well as whether the matter needs to be dealt with expeditiously.
Both airlines and airports may engage with law enforcement and aviation safety authorities to support any administrative or criminal sanctions against a passenger found to have engaged in unruly and disruptive behaviour.
Responsibilities of flight crew
Specifics of the responsibilities of flight crew would be in accordance with national regulatory requirements. More generally, the Tokyo Convention and the Montréal Protocol 2014 provide that the aircraft commander may, when there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed, or is about to commit, an offence on board the aircraft, impose reasonable measures including restraint which are necessary to protect the safety of the aircraft, or of persons or property therein, or to maintain good order and discipline on board, or to enable delivery of such person to the competent authorities.
The aircraft commander may require or authorize the assistance of other crewmembers in doing so. Instructions from a crew member to a passenger are deemed to be given on behalf of the aircraft commander.
Condemnation, commendation trail Kayamo’s intervention
Kayamo, minister of aviation, said he had conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the complaint against her today, adding that when the Police took her statement in presence of her lawyer, she exhibited great remorse for her conduct.
Subsequent to the withdrawal of the complaint by the Complainant, the CP of Airport Command and the Police Prosecutor will immediately take the remaining steps to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prisons within this week, the minister promised.
“I have also conferred with the leadership of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and have appealed to them to lift the life-time flying ban imposed on her, to which they agreed. The details of the resolution will be made public by the AON subsequently,” Kayomo added.
In the case of KWAM 1, Kayamo said the NCAA will reduce his flight ban to a one-month period and disclosed that FAAN will also work with the music star with a view to engaging him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol going forward.
“Having publicly demonstrated penitence, the NCAA is also to withdraw its criminal complaints against KWAM 1 earlier lodged with the Police.
“In the case of Oluranti Ogoyi, and the co-pilot, First Officer Ivan Oloba of Valuejet, the NCAA is to restore their licenses after the same period of one-month ban after undergoing some mandatory professional re-appraisal. The details will be announced by the NCAA,” the minister said.
While some Nigerians have taken to social media to commend Kayamo, there has been a barrage of condemnation against the decision of the Federal Government to reward KWAM 1’s bad behaviour.
A concerned citizen said, “When you came out a few days ago and condemned the behavior of KWAM 1 and said he committed a serious offence, the next day, you come out to hand him an appointment letter as an ambassador. Being an ambassador means that a person’s behavior is worthy of emulation. What are those in government teaching us in this country? You are saying that a man that threatened the lives of passengers by standing in the way of aero plane is the best that represent our people in things to do at the airport? This is abracadabra.
“This is devastating to our psyche. It sends a wrong signal. This is not how government should be behaving. If you are planning to make him an ambassador, for goodness sake, allow the punishment to be served out. You don’t reward bad behavior and that is what the government has done.”
Another concerned citizen said: “How do we justify that Aviation Security Ambassador to a man who disrupted flight operation? Chai! Ambassador KWAM-1. Bad behaviour has reward after all. Shame.”
Lessons learnt
Though regrettable, valuable lessons have been learnt by all sides to these incidents and airport security protocol have been well highlighted for the travelling public.
The episodes have also helped to raise public awareness about appropriate conduct within the aviation space.
The FAAN has disclosed that it is reviewing its protocols around retraining and prosecuting passengers in line with the Airport Approved Security Programme and relevant laws.
In a statement, the authority stated that moving forward, it will not hesitate to implement relevant sanctions as stipulated in ICAO Annex 17, Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations especially Part 17 and ‘FAAN Bye Laws,’ against any form of disruptive or threatening behaviour within airport premises.
The agency noted with concern the increasing frequency of unruly behaviour by some passengers at the airports. It is categorically stated that such conduct is entirely unacceptable within the framework of civil aviation and will not be tolerated.
“Passengers are strongly advised to acquaint themselves with the Passengers’ Rights and Responsibilities, and Airlines’ Obligations as published by NCAA and FAAN Bye Laws.
“Regarding the recent incident involving a passenger on Ibom Air, while the situation was initially managed by security personnel at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 2 (MM2), the FAAN Aviation Security (AVSEC) team has since intervened, taken the individual into custody, and handed her over to the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation and prosecution,” the authority stated.
Ugbeikwu Sunday Ugbeikwu, national president, Nigerian Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA), said that while the offenders go scot-free, the stakeholders must suffer the punishment for their inefficiencies and inadequacies.
“Yes, there are loopholes everywhere. There are gaps. Most people have not been professional in their conduct and so the burden falls back to us, the stakeholders. We did not approach the altar of equity with clean hands, so we have to suffer the brunt.
“While many may not be satisfied with the Press Release by the aviation minister, I am satisfied because what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. If K1 and Oshomhole are freed, then Comfort should be freed too. But someone will ask again: ‘Are K1 and Osho Baba above the law?’ The answer is, have we gone to the altar of equity with clean hands? Have we done our jobs professionally as stakeholders?
“What business has K1 with standing in front of an aircraft? Did he suddenly change from being a passenger to being a staff member?
“Candidly, I laud Keyamo because he has further charged the stakeholders to embark on a retraining retreat, which means something is lacking somewhere. I also laud him because he has drawn the red line now and those who cross it will suffer severe penalties,” Ugbeikwu said.
