The Federal Government has announced the withdrawal of criminal complaints against two high-profile individuals involved in recent incidents of unruly behaviour at Nigerian airports, citing compassion and lessons learned from the events.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday following consultations with key stakeholders in the aviation sector.
Keyamo noted that while both passengers and airline staff committed infractions in the incidents, the cases had highlighted the need for improved public awareness on proper conduct in aviation spaces and better handling of disruptive situations by security personnel.
‘In the matter involving Ms. Comfort Emmanson, who was arrested after an incident aboard an Ibom Air flight on August 10, the minister said the airline had agreed to withdraw its complaint after she expressed remorse during a police interview”.
Following the withdrawal, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, and the police prosecutor are expected to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prison this week. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has also agreed to lift the lifetime flight ban imposed on her, with details to be announced later.
In the case involving Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will reduce his flight ban to one month and withdraw its criminal complaint against him. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will also work with the artiste to promote proper airport security protocol.
The minister further revealed that the one-month suspension of ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba will be followed by the restoration of their licences after
