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In a development that has sent ripples of controversy through the nation, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced a series of decisions following two high-profile unruly actions. Aviation Regulations
This includes a significant reduction of the sanctions against Fuji star Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1. Unruly Actions
The move, which has been widely described as a ‘slap on the wrist,’ sees KWAM 1’s flight ban reduced and, even more astonishingly, positions him as a potential ambassador for aviation security.
Unruly Actions Resolutions
The Minister’s press statement, released this Wednesday, aimed to provide a resolution to the separate unruly actions involving Ms. Comfort Emmanson and KWAM 1, which had ignited a national conversation about selective justice and the rule of law.
“In the last 48 hours, I have been in consultation with critical stakeholders in the Aviation Sector and those involved in the unfortunate incidents regarding the unruly actions of certain individuals at our airports,” Keyamo’s statement read. He acknowledged that while the episodes were “regrettable,” they had “helped to raise public awareness about appropriate conduct within the aviation space.”
For Ms. Comfort Emmanson, who had been remanded in Kirikiri Prisons following an altercation with Ibom Air staff, the news was a reprieve. Keyamo announced that he had “conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the Complaint against her today.”
The Minister noted that Ms. Emmanson had “exhibited great remorse for her conduct” when her statement was taken by the police. Following the withdrawal of the complaint, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has also agreed to lift the lifetime flying ban imposed for her unruly actions.
Outrageous Resolution
The Minister’s intervention was seen by many as a compassionate response to a case that had drawn public outrage over the perceived disparity in treatment compared to the KWAM 1 incident.
However, it is the resolution of the KWAM 1 case that has sparked the most intense criticism.
The Fuji musician, who was accused of obstructing a ValueJet aircraft from taxiing and was facing a six-month flight ban and a criminal complaint from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has been granted a significant reprieve.
In a move described by some as a “slap on the wrist,” Keyamo’s statement also revealed that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will “work with the music star with a view to engaging him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol going forward.”
Keyamo announced, “In the case of KWAM 1, the NCAA is to reduce his flight ban to a one-month period.”
He further directed the NCAA to withdraw its criminal complaints against him, citing that the musician had “publicly demonstrated penitence.”
The most stunning part of the unruly actions decision, however, was the revelation that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would “work with the music star with a view to engaging him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol going forward.”
In what some call ‘reward for bad behaviour’ this decision has been met with a wave of condemnation from the public. One aviation analyst, who preferred to remain anonymous, commented, “This sends a terrible message.
An individual who physically obstructed an aircraft and created a safety hazard is being rewarded with a month-long slap on the wrist and an ambassadorial role.
What about the message this sends to the average traveler? That if you have a certain level of influence, the law doesn’t apply to you in the same way.”
The Minister defended his position in the press statement, stating, “These above decisions were taken by Government and the airline operators purely on compassionate grounds as Government will never pander to base sentiments, politically-motivated views or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws are involved.”
Despite the official justification, many Nigerians see a clear double standard. Online commentators have been quick to point out the stark contrast in how the two cases were handled.
“Comfort Emmanson gets a prison sentence while KWAM 1 gets a brand new job and a lighter sentence? The government is openly telling us that justice is not blind,” one user wrote on social media.
Cockpit Crew’s Reprieve
The Minister also directed the NCAA to restore the licenses of the ValueJet pilots, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, after a similar one-month ban and mandatory professional re-appraisal.”
The government has also called for a retreat to retrain aviation security personnel on de-escalation techniques, a move that some see as a tacit admission of procedural failures on the part of airport staff.
As the dust settles, the government’s message appears to be a mix of compassion and a stern warning.
“We are also 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,” Keyamo concluded, leaving many to wonder if that line has been blurred rather than drawn.
Meanwhile, in all this nothing was mentioned of Senator Adam’s Oshiomole’s unruly actions blocking the Zulu Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos which may have just been the motivation for these other unruly actions.
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