By Our Correspondent
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has ordered the withdrawal of criminal charges against Ms. Comfort Emmanson—the passenger at the centre of the recent viral Ibom Air incident—and lifted the lifetime flight ban earlier imposed on her.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, Keyamo said the decision followed extensive consultations with key aviation stakeholders and a review of the controversial events involving Emmanson and music legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM1.
The minister noted that investigations revealed misconduct on both sides—by passengers and airline staff—and stressed that the episode had served as an important lesson on airport security protocols for the travelling public.
“It is clear that all the actors involved cannot continue to highlight the injury or injustice done to them without acknowledging their own equal culpability,” Keyamo stated.
Comfort Emmanson Case
Keyamo disclosed that Ibom Air had agreed to withdraw its complaint after Emmanson expressed “great remorse” during police questioning in the presence of her lawyer. The Police will now take steps to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prisons within the week.
He further confirmed that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had agreed to lift the lifetime ban previously placed on her.
KWAM1 Case
In a related development, the minister announced that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had reduced KWAM1’s indefinite flight ban to one month following his public apology.He will also serve as an ambassador for proper airport security protocols.
Criminal charges against him have been dropped, and the one-month ban will also apply to ValueJet pilots involved in the incident—Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba—whose licenses will be restored after mandatory professional reappraisal.
To avoid similar situations in the future, Keyamo directed all relevant aviation and complementary security agencies to begin a retreat next week to retrain personnel on managing disruptive passengers and de-escalating conflicts. Airlines will also undergo a review of staff conduct towards passengers.
Keyamo stressed that the clemency was granted on “compassionate grounds” and should not be interpreted as a relaxation of safety and security standards.
“We are sending a clear message that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously, and we have decided to draw a line after these clemencies,” he said.
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