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Fresh details have emerged revealing why the Federal Government decided not to punish popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, aka KWAM 1, and a passenger on the Akwa Ibom-owned airline, Ms. Comfort Emmason, for misconduct.
Naija News recalls that Emmason was on August 10th, removed from a flight from Lagos to Uyo after allegedly refusing to turn off her phone as instructed by crew members.
The situation escalated when she became physically aggressive, struck a flight attendant, and had to be restrained and escorted off the aircraft at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Following that, Ibom Air imposed a lifetime ban on her, while she was also arraigned and remanded in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
On August 5, Fuji legend, KWAM 1 disrupted a ValueJet airline flight at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, when he attempted to board carrying a flask containing liquid beyond the permissible size.
When he was asked to surrender it, he allegedly refused, poured its contents on the crew and security personnel, became aggressive and attempted to obstruct the aircraft from taxiing and delaying the flight’s safe operation.
He was later slammed with a six-month flight ban, while the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority submitted a petition against him to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Emmanson’s swift prosecution sparked outrage, with many accusing the government of bias in the different way it handled both cases.
However, in a surprise announcement, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed, on Wednesday, that the government had directed the withdrawal of criminal complaints against Emmason and Ayinde.
The minister’s announcement was also greeted with mixed reactions, as some members of the public believe that the Federal Government pardoned Emmason in a bid to protect Ayinde, an ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from prosecution.
Findings by The PUNCH revealed that KWAM 1 was compelled to apologise as part of conditions for intervention from the ‘powers that be’, just as the government withdrew charges against Emmason after reviewing the roles of the airline in the saga and the threats of multiple suits.
According to a source, who is a top security officer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the airlines involved in the two cases were not interested in pursuing their individual cases against Ayinde and Emmason having realised that the two passengers had “strong cases” against them if allowed to go to court.
He said, “The truth of the matter is that the aviation security, airline security, and the pilot, and all parties involved in Wasiu Ayinde’s case were at fault. The same thing with the Ibom Air case involving the lady who was stripped half-naked.
“I am aware that lawyers and stakeholders in the airlines and the aviation authorities reviewed the cases and opted for alternative conflict resolution to avoid lawsuits and counter-lawsuits. The Minister of Aviation was sincere in his statement when he said the decision was on compassionate grounds.”
Another source at the Ministry of Aviation disclosed that they were pardoned because preliminary investigations available to the government had shown that the airline was also culpable for the chaos at the airport in Emmason’s case.
“The soft landing or compromise is actually in favour of the airline in the case of Emmason. Everything was about protecting them from potential huge loss that would arise from any suit filed by the passenger,” said an insider.
Also speaking to The PUNCH, a top official at the ministry said that there were interventions from the ‘powers that be’ in Ayinde’s case, though the minister insisted on doing the right thing.
The source said, “The powers that be compelled KWAM 1 to apologise as a condition for intervening in the matter. They felt embarrassed about his attitude.
“After his apology, the industry was already speaking about Emmason, while still planning what to do about KWAM 1. The lady’s case became the talk of the town, especially after she was hastily remanded without hearing from her.
“The blowback from that action forced the hands of the government to find a general amicable solution to the matter.
“The resolution we all heard was a face-saving measure for both the government’s hasty and harsh decision on Emmason and also to find a soft landing for the musician, who is a friend to powerful people in government.”
The post Why Tinubu Govt Pardoned KWAM 1, Emmason appeared first on Naija News.
