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NCAA Explains Difference Between Ibom Air Case and Kwam 1 Incident
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified the reason Comfort Emmanson, an Ibom Air passenger accused of assaulting crew members, was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, while Fuji music icon Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as Kwam 1, who allegedly disrupted a ValueJet flight in Abuja last week, did not face similar court proceedings.
Recall that the Uyo–Lagos incident on Sunday sparked public outrage and accusations of selective justice. Viral videos showed Emmanson slapping and kicking airline and airport officials, including a female air hostess, after she allegedly refused repeated instructions to switch off her phone before take-off. In one clip, she was seen being dragged off the aircraft by security personnel.
This came days after Ayinde was accused of obstructing ValueJet’s morning service (Flight VK 201) to Lagos on August 5, an incident that also led to public criticism.
However, speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, said the two incidents were different.
His words: “There is no comparison here; it’s not a case of oranges and oranges. In the Kwam1 incident, the airline did not activate its rights to take the passenger to court, so the NCAAA 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.”
He noted that the NCAA was not directly involved in Emmanson’s case, whereas in Kwam 1’s situation, the authority issued an advisory to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to ban the musician from flights.
Achimugu further clarified that, contrary to earlier reports, Kwam 1 was not placed on a six-month ban but on an indefinite ban pending the outcome of investigations.
Explaining why Emmanson was placed on a no-fly life ban, Achimugu said airline operators have the legal authority to take such action.
“We have a lot of flight disruptions in Nigeria because we lack capacity. There aren’t enough aircraft in the country at the moment to meet passenger 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?
“If anything had happened to that plane yesterday, would she have been able to afford the repairs, beyond the cost?” he asked.
Achimugu added that the aircraft involved was scheduled for another flight, and failing to remove the passenger could have caused further disruptions.
Speaking further, he assured that the Ibom Air case would be handled fairly but warned that “unruly” behaviour by passengers would not be tolerated.
“The point I am trying to make is that no matter the provocation, rest assured that you can always file your complaints with the NCAA, and it will be dealt with. On our part, we will ensure to see the end of it and that there is fairness on every side.”
In a related development, Achimugu, in a post on X on Tuesday, called on passengers who were on the flight to come forward with their accounts of the incident.
“Any person who was a passenger on that flight and witnessed the events that led to the fracas should, as a matter of urgency and fairness, reach out to me via DM or email at [email protected],” he wrote.
“Once verified that you were actually a passenger, we can discuss and understand other perspectives to this issue. In the interest of justice, it’s necessary to hear both sides of the story. Of course, this does not negate the exhibition of unruly behaviour and its ramifications, but it will ensure that every other person who was culpable down the line is held accountable.”
Achimugu added that NCAA officers in Lagos will conduct a fact-finding mission, engaging with the police and other security personnel who handled the matter.
He stressed that the incident offers valuable lessons for all stakeholders – passengers, airline staff, and aviation security – to identify gaps and close loopholes in the system.
“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.”
Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, to the first week of June, 2026.
El-Rufai was arraigned last week on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and abuse of office, filed by the Independent Corupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
He appeared before the court last Tuesday for hearing of his bail application.
However, the presiding judge, Darius Khobo, adjourned ruling on the application to Tuesy April 21, 2026.
The former governor was, last week, granted bail by a Federal High Court in Kaduna in another corruption case instituted against him by the ICPC.
Justice Rilwanu Aikawa admitted El-Rufai to bail in the sum of N200 million.
The judge had ordered that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
As part of the conditions, the defendant was barred from making public comments on the case and must attend all court sittings.
However, speaking after the court session on Tuesday, counsel to the former governor, Ukpon Akpan, said the bail application had been adjourned.
He kicked against the lingering adjournment, saying it is politically motivated.
Barcelona are set to let five key players leave the club this summer, as they plan a squad overhaul, according to reports.
The Blaugrana are currently sitting nine points clear at the top of LaLiga, and are set to romp to a second consecutive title ahead of rivals Real Madrid.
However, after more disappointment in the Champions League, in which they were dumped out by Atletico Madrid, Hansi Flick and the board at Barcelona are preparing to rebuild their squad at the end of the campaign.
Spanish media outlet Marca are reporting that there are five players who have ‘completed a cycle at the club’ and will likely be moved on come the summer.
Marcus Rashford is one of those players. Barcelona can buy the 28-year-old, who is on loan from Manchester United, for £26million under the terms of the deal, but reports have emerged that they are not willing to exercise that option.
The 28-year-old has contributed 12 goals and 13 assists this season to help the Catalan giants run rampant in LaLiga, and as recently as last week, it was believed that Barca would like to keep him.
However, they have made a failed bid to renegotiate the £26m fee with United, who are refusing to budge on the clause which expires on June 15 – four days after the World Cup kicks off in North America.
It means there is a strong chance that Rashford will be forced to return to his boyhood club following England duty if he is selected for the tournament this summer.
Another attacker who seems set for the exit door is none other than Robert Lewandowski.
The Pole, who joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2022, is out of contract in the summer, and there has been little indication that he will sign a new deal at the club.
It is believed that both Lewandowski’s ‘age and recent physical problems’ have thrust his future at Barca into doubt.
Barcelona are said to be looking at freeing up some financial legroom, and for that reason, they want to offload stars on big wage packets.
One of those players is Frenkie de Jong, who is understood to be on just under €400,000 (£348,000) per week, and Marca suggest that he could be sold to ‘ease the financial burden’ on the Spanish giants.
Former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen and La Masia graduate Marc Casado are also said to be on the proverbial chopping block.
Christensen played 161 games in six seasons with the Blues before making the move to Catalonia in 2022 on a four-year deal. That deal is now set to expire, and there are no plans for an extension at this moment in time.
Casado, however, still has two years left on his contract, but due to a lack of minutes, could be forced to find a new club.
The defensive midfielder has failed to break into the team ahead of Pedri, Eric Garcia, and Gavi, and has started only one of the last eight LaLiga games.
Kimberly Daniels, a United States Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 14, has alleged that Nigeria’s minister of state for defense, Bello Matawalle, attempted to bribe a US official to deflect the narrative of the United World Congress of Diplomats, UN-WCD, report.
The lawmaker made the claim in a viral video released on her official Facebook account on Monday.
She said Matawalle’s alleged move was to cover up the UN-WCD report on Christian genocide in Nigeria, which indicted him.
Daniels insisted that no amount of pressure can silence her stand against the killings of Christians in Nigeria.
“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s minister of state defense, Bello Matawalle, to change the narrative of the UN-WCD Christian genocide in Nigeria report,” she said in the viral video.
Recall that Daniels, who doubled as the chairperson of UN-WCD, had called for President Bola Tinubu to remove Matawalle over alleged complicity in the killings in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and other parts of Nigeria.
Matawalle is yet to officially reply the US lawmaker.
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