…..Organises retreat for aviation security personnel
The Federal Government has formally withdrawn the criminal case against Ms. Comfort Emmanson, who was involved in an incident aboard an Ibom Airline flight on Sunday, 10 August 2025.
In a statement, Wednesday, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, disclosed that he had engaged with key aviation stakeholders and reviewed recent occurrences of unruly behaviour by passengers and airline personnel. He remarked that “valuable lessons have been learnt by all sides to these incidents and airport security protocol…have undoubtedly helped to raise public awareness about appropriate conduct within the aviation space.”
Regarding the Ibom Airline matter, Keyamo explained that Ms. Emmanson, after making a statement to the police in the presence of her lawyer, “exhibited great remorse for her conduct.” He confirmed that law enforcement and prosecutorial bodies would ensure her release from Kirikiri Prisons within the week.
The minister also revealed that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had decided to lift the lifetime flight ban previously imposed on her, with full details of the agreement to be released soon by AON.
This announcement came alongside updates on other notable aviation incidents, including the case of popular musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, widely known as Kwam 1, following a confrontation with ValueJet. According to Keyamo, the National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reduced Kwam 1’s flight ban to one month and withdrawn its criminal case against him, recognising his public act of contrition. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will collaborate with Kwam 1, appointing him as an advocate for proper airport security practices.
In addition, Keyamo stated that Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba of ValueJet will have their licences reinstated after a month, pending mandatory professional re-evaluation.
The government has further instructed all aviation agencies, working with related bodies, to convene a retreat next week. The meeting will focus on retraining aviation security personnel to handle disruptive passengers and defuse tense situations. Airlines will also organise internal sessions to review staff interactions with passengers.
Keyamo stressed that the government’s decisions were rooted in compassion, noting: “Government will never pander to base sentiments, politically-motivated views or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws are involved.” He added that these actions send a “clear message that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously” while also drawing a definitive conclusion to the recent cases.
