Shock and indignation trailed the Federal Government’s decision yesterday to release Ibom Air passenger, Comfort Bob, from Kirikiri Prison, and to cut the six-month flight ban imposed on Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM-1, to just one month.
The controversial move followed separate incidents of unruly behaviour at Nigerian airports — Comfort Bob’s clash with Ibom Air crew at Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos, on Sunday, and KWAM-1’s disruption of a ValueJet flight at Abuja airport a week earlier.
Earlier yesterday, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced that Comfort Bob had been freed and that KWAM-1’s suspension was reduced. This announcement was met with stiff resistance from lawyers, human rights activists, aviation stakeholders, and civil society groups, who accused the minister of bypassing due process and overstepping the authority of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Court Discharge for Comfort Bob
At an Ikeja Magistrate Court in Ogba, Lagos, Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami struck out the five-count charge against Comfort Bob after police prosecutors withdrew the case, stating that the complainant and the airline no longer wished to pursue it. The charges had alleged that Bob disrupted peace on the flight, assaulted a crew member, and engaged in conduct capable of breaching public order. She had earlier pleaded not guilty.
Bob, upon release, thanked supporters for their prayers and promised to share her version of events after resting and receiving medical attention.
Keyamo’s Statement and Decisions
Keyamo explained that consultations with stakeholders revealed that both the offending passengers and airline staff bore responsibility for the incidents. He claimed that valuable lessons had been learned and that clemency was granted after remorse was shown by the parties involved.
Key points from the minister’s decisions include:
Comfort Bob: Complaint withdrawn by Ibom Air; release from prison facilitated; lifetime flying ban lifted after appeals to the Airline Operators of Nigeria.
KWAM-1: Flight ban reduced to one month; appointed as an unpaid “ambassador” for proper airport conduct; NCAA to withdraw criminal complaints against him.
ValueJet Crew: Licenses of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba to be restored after a one-month ban and professional reappraisal.
Training Measures: Aviation security personnel to undergo retraining on handling disruptive passengers; airlines to review staff conduct towards passengers.
Keyamo stressed that the decisions were based on compassion, not political sentiment, but reiterated the government’s commitment to aviation safety.
Backlash from Stakeholders
Prominent lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, condemned the move, warning it undermined the government’s moral right to prosecute future cases of unruly passengers. He argued that withdrawing charges against Bob while pardoning KWAM-1 without trial created grounds for claims of discriminatory treatment.
Legal advocate Evans Ufeli criticised the notion of equal blame between passengers and airline staff, stressing that such incidents were serious breaches of safety protocols. He warned that excusing offenders risked fostering a culture of impunity.
Global Rights Nigeria’s Executive Director, Abiodun Bayeiwu, decried the “double standards,” pointing out that KWAM-1’s more severe infraction was treated leniently due to political connections, while Bob endured harsher treatment, including being stripped naked by crew members.
Activist Deji Adeyanju also accused the government of shielding KWAM-1 from accountability, insisting that both cases involved clear violations of aviation laws that should have been prosecuted.
Aviation Industry Concerns
Experts cited provisions in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Regulations (Nig. CARs 2023) that define and punish unruly behaviour at airports and on aircraft. They accused the minister of undermining the NCAA’s authority and ignoring global aviation standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd) called the intervention “shameful” and warned that ICAO and IATA would take note of Nigeria’s disregard for due process. Former Nigeria Airways MD, Jonathan Ibrahim, acknowledged the minister’s compassion but criticised him for overruling regulatory bodies, warning that such interference undermines discipline and international credibility.
Minister’s Clarification on Ambassador Role
Responding to public criticism, Keyamo clarified via his official X account that appointing KWAM-1 as an aviation security ambassador was akin to community service and unpaid. He noted it was common practice to engage repentant offenders to promote the very conduct they previously violated.
He also revealed that the Airline Operators of Nigeria were considering appointing Comfort Bob as an ambassador for good passenger behaviour, given her display of remorse.
