… Labour Party, NBA accuse authorities of selective justice
By Peter Salami
The Nigeria Police Force has commenced a formal investigation into an alleged case of unruly conduct by Fuji music legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following a petition from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The incident, which occurred on August 5, 2025, reportedly obstructed the safe operation of a ValueJet aircraft in violation of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023.
Force spokesman DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said yesterday that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun had directed the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, to conduct a thorough probe to determine the circumstances of the “ugly incident” and ensure justice is served. The Police pledged to work closely with aviation stakeholders to strengthen security and ensure strict compliance with safety regulations.
According to the NCAA, the confrontation began when KWAM 1 attempted to board with a flask suspected to contain alcohol. After refusing to surrender it, he allegedly splashed its contents on airline officials, including the female pilot, and blocked the aircraft’s movement on the tarmac, a scenario Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo likened to a “hostage situation.” The musician later apologised publicly, insisting the flask contained water for a medical condition, and sought forgiveness from President Bola Tinubu, the Ministry of Aviation, and Nigerians. The NCAA has since petitioned both the Attorney-General of the Federation and the IGP, while the Airline Operators of Nigeria placed him on a six-month no-fly ban pending the outcome of investigations.
The case has reignited debate over alleged selective enforcement of aviation laws, drawing sharp political and civil society reactions. Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, had condemned what he called “blatant double standards” in the handling of KWAM 1 compared to that of Ms. Comfort Emmanson, a passenger involved in a separate Ibom Air incident on August 10, 2025. Obi noted that while Emmanson was “publicly stripped, hastily charged in court, and remanded in custody,” KWAM 1, accused of delaying a flight and allegedly endangering passengers, remains at liberty, with some public figures calling for him to be forgiven. “Justice must be just, or it is nothing at all,” Obi had posted on X, warning that selective application of the law undermines public trust.
The Labour Party echoed this sentiment in a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, Senior Special Adviser to Factional Acting National Chairman Nenadi Usman, accusing the authorities of protecting KWAM 1 while “inhumanely” treating Emmanson. It said great nations are built on equality before the law and warned that selective justice poses a threat to national cohesion.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) also waded in, pledging free legal representation for Emmanson and calling for the reversal of the lifetime flight ban imposed on her by Ibom Air. NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara said Emmanson’s removal from the aircraft, during which her bare breasts were exposed in a viral video, was degrading and unlawful. They criticised the airline and the Airline Operators of Nigeria for imposing the ban without due process, insisting that only the statutory aviation regulator can restrict a passenger’s right to fly. The NBA called for those who leaked the video to be prosecuted and for an independent investigation before any disciplinary measures are enforced.
Keyamo had, while condemning the public release of the video as “a debasing of womanhood,” stated that Emmanson had gone “berserk” aboard Ibom Air Flight Q153 from Uyo to Lagos after refusing to switch off her phone during take-off, physically assaulting both crew and ground staff. She was arrested, arraigned before the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, and remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Facility after failing to meet bail conditions. Keyamo directed airlines to train staff to better handle volatile situations and announced plans for a joint security meeting to improve inter-agency coordination.
Amid the controversy, NCAA spokesman Mike Achimugu defended the agency’s handling of both incidents, insisting they were different in scope and procedure. He explained that in the KWAM 1 case, the airline did not immediately pursue legal action, prompting the NCAA to petition the authorities. In the Ibom Air case, the airline moved swiftly to involve the police and prosecute. He added that KWAM 1’s ban was done pending investigation, while Emmanson’s lifetime ban was an exercise of the operators’ rights under aviation law.