One week after, AGF keeps mum on KWAM 1’s case

On August 10, a passenger, identified as Comfort Emmanson, on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, made headlines for allegedly assaulting airline staff. Within 24 hours, Emmanson was taken to court and arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on assault and wilful damage to property.

Consequently, the presiding magistrate ordered the remand of the passenger at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre until October 6.

However, the treatment of the passenger in terms of how she was bungled out of the aircraft by security personnel, causing indecent exposure of her body and the swiftness of her arraignment has raised questions among citizens on the “double standards” in Nigeria’s justice system.

That contrast becomes sharper when compared with another high-profile incident involving Wasiu Ayinde, Fuji music legend popularly known as KWAM 1, aboard a ValueJet flight from Abuja to Lagos on August 5.

Nearly a week later, the musician is yet to be charged, even though the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has formally petitioned the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and the inspector-general of police (IGP) to investigate and prosecute him.

BACKSTORY

KWAM 1, who was onboard a ValueJet plane on August 5, was seen drinking from a flask and was approached by a flight attendant who suspected that the content was alcohol — a substance prohibited onboard aircraft in Nigeria.

​​The attendant was said to have asked the musician to surrender the flask, but KWAM 1 refused, saying it was medication prescribed by his doctor.

TheCable understands that following his refusal to give up the flask, the flight crew deboarded the celebrity.

Consequently, an enraged KWAM 1 proceeded to the front of the aircraft in an attempt to prevent it from taking off. In videos that made the rounds on social media, Ayinde was seen in a heated exchange with airport personnel at the foot of the aircraft.

Eventually, the plane veered off, and Ayinde and other airport staff had to dodge the wings of the aircraft.

The NCAA suspended the licences of the two ValueJet pilots over breach of aviation safety protocol and placed Ayinde on a no-fly list indefinitely until ongoing investigations into the flight incident are concluded.

The agency added that Ayinde’s conduct at the airport amounts to an act of terrorism in some other countries.

PETITION TO AGF, IGP

About 48 hours after the incident, Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at NCAA, said the authority has petitioned the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and inspector-general of police (IGP) calling for a comprehensive criminal investigation and the initiation of appropriate prosecution of the musician in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Civil Aviation regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 supra and all other applicable laws.

Checks done by TheCable show that KWAM1 violated Part 15, 17 and 20 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation regulations 2023.

Section 46 of the Civil Aviation Act 2022 gives NCAA the authority to carry out investigations and sanction a person found violating any provisions of this Act, regulations, rules, orders or directives, as the case may be.

ANY COURT DATE YET?

Unlike the Emmanson Ibom Air case, where the suspect was arrested and charged almost immediately, there has been no update on the KWAM 1 matter.

On Sunday, Achimugu said the probe would require collaboration among aviation agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Aviation Security Service (AVSEC), and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

The office of the AGF is yet to respond to the inquiry made by TheCable on the matter.

The AGF is the chief law officer of the federation and has the power to direct the prosecution or discontinue the prosecution of a person.

As of now, neither the AGF nor the police have announced a charging date.

Until the AGF acts on the NCAA petition, the answer to the question of when KWAM 1 will be charged to court remains unknown.