The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged the Airline Operators to lift the ‘No Fly’ life ban placed on Ibom Air passenger, Comfort Emmanson, for unruly behaviour.
In a statement from the Minister, he said in the last 48 hours, he has been in consultation with critical stakeholders in the Aviation Sector and those involved in the incidents regarding the unruly behaviours of certain individuals.
He said that though regrettable, valuable lessons have been learnt by all sides to these incidents and airport security protocol, especially, have been well highlighted for the travelling public.
He pointed out that clear wrongs were committed by both the offending passengers and staff of the airlines involved, from all the evidence available to them and those available to the public, and that it is clear all the actors involved cannot continue to highlight the injury or injustice done to them without acknowledging their own equal culpability.
”In the case of the unruly passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, on the Ibom Airline on Sunday, the 10th of August, 2025, I have conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the Complaint against her today. When the Police took her Statement in the presence of her lawyer, she exhibited great remorse for her conduct.
”Subsequent to the withdrawal of the complaint by the Complainant, the CP of Airport Command and the Police Prosecutor will immediately take the remaining steps to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prisons within this week.
”I have also conferred with the leadership of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and have appealed to them to lift the lifetime flying ban imposed on her, to which they agreed. The details of the resolution will be made public by the AON subsequently,” Keyamo said.
”In the case of Valuejet and King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1), Keyamo said the NCAA is to reduce his flight ban to a one-month period and that FAAN will also work with him with a view to engaging him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol going forward.
”Having publicly demonstrated penitence, the NCAA is also to withdraw its criminal complaints against KWAM 1 earlier lodged with the Police,” Keyamo said.
In the case of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and the co-pilot, First Officer Ivan Oloba of VALUEJET, the NCAA is to restore their licenses after the same period of one-month ban after undergoing some mandatory professional re-appraisal. The details will be announced by the NCAA.
”I have directed all relevant Aviation agencies in collaboration with other complementary agencies outside aviation to immediately begin a retreat next week to properly retrain and prepare our aviation security personnel on how to deal with errant and disruptive passengers and how to de-escalate potentially explosive situations. The retreat will be fully covered by the Press with the opportunity to ask all the relevant questions.
”The Airlines will also have their own session when the conduct and attitude of their staff towards members of the travelling public will be in full focus.
”These above decisions were taken by the Government and the airline operators purely on COMPASSIONATE grounds as the Government will never pander to base sentiments, politically-motivated views or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws is involved,” he said.
Credit: The Sun
