The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified that Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 de Ultimate (Kwam 1), was not charged to court by ValueJet over alleged unruly behaviour, unlike Ibom Air’s legal action against passenger Comfort Emmanson.
NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu, in an interview on Monday, addressed the distinction between the two cases. Emmanson was charged in court on Monday and remanded in prison, sparking mixed reactions among Nigerians. The development drew criticism from Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, who described Emmanson’s treatment as “double standards.”
Achimugu emphasized that the NCAA did not sue either K1 de Ultimate or Emmanson. He explained that Ibom Air independently exercised its right to arrest and charge Emmanson in court, stating, “The airline has exercised its right to sue the unruly passenger in court. So long as that case is in court, the NCAA has no role to play in it.”
In contrast, Achimugu noted that ValueJet did not pursue legal action against K1 de Ultimate following an alleged misconduct incident at a Nigerian airport. Instead, the NCAA referred the matter to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police for prosecution, as the agency lacks prosecutorial powers. “If ValueJet had arrested and taken Kwam 1 to court that day, the NCAA would not have been involved to the extent that it became involved,” Achimugu told newsmen.
The NCAA’s petition to the Attorney General and Inspector General of Police regarding K1 de Ultimate’s case remains under review, while Emmanson’s court case continues to generate public debate.
