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Human rights lawyer Ayodele Ademiluyi has filed a suit against the federal government over the alleged “special treatment” given to Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, in a recent airport controversy.
Other respondents in the suit include Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development; the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON); the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS); and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Speaking at a press conference, Ademiluyi said he initiated the suit to ensure accountability and protect public interest in the aviation sector. He criticized what he called “double standard treatment” of airport incidents involving KWAM 1 and Comfort Emmanson, an Ibom Air passenger.
Ademiluyi said, “While Emmanson was arraigned and remanded in prison, KWAM 1 was neither arrested nor prosecuted but was given an ambassadorial role, despite both allegedly committing nearly identical offences.”
He further stated, “Our aviation system needs a complete overhauling. We cannot allow impunity to reign or degenerate into a banana republic where someone can stop a plane with their bare hands and walk away without consequence. It’s a gross imbalance. There was no arrest, no arraignment, and no prosecution of Mr. KWAM 1.
“In fact, he was rewarded with a brand ambassadorship for the aviation sector. What message does that send to the public?
“The honourable minister for aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, in a widely circulated statement announced the withdrawal of charges by Ibom Air against Comfort Emmanson and designated both KWAM 1 and herself as ‘brand ambassadors’ among many other compromises. However, the ‘peace deal’ has not addressed the issue of the maintenance of balance of the scale of justice, as the person of KWAM 1 is being serenaded instead of being arrested, arraigned and prosecuted.”
The incident involving KWAM 1 occurred on August 5 when he was onboard a ValueJet plane. A flight attendant, suspecting the content of his flask was alcohol, asked him to surrender it, but KWAM 1 reportedly refused, stating it contained medication prescribed by his doctor. Following his refusal, the flight crew removed the musician, after which he was seen in front of the aircraft, allegedly attempting to prevent it from taking off.
On August 10, Comfort Emmanson had a confrontation with Ibom Air officials on a flight from Uyo to Lagos. She was forcefully removed from the aircraft, leaving her partially nude. On August 11, she was charged by the police and remanded at Kirikiri Prison, Lagos.
Emmanson has since been released after a magistrate court struck out the five-count charge filed against her by the police.
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