The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced the withdrawal of criminal charges against musician KWAM1 and female passenger Ms. Comfort Emmanson.
This decision follows extensive consultations with key stakeholders in the aviation industry.
Comfort Emmanson was involved in an altercation with flight attendants on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025, which led to her arrest and remand in Kirikiri Prison. Ibom Air subsequently imposed a lifetime flying ban on her. Fuji music star KWAM 1 was banned from flying for a year after an incident involving ValueJet, with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) lodging criminal complaints against him.
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After reviewing the incidents and considering appeals from well-meaning individuals and the remorse shown by the actors, Minister Keyamo made the following decisions:
Ibom Air will withdraw its complaint against Emmanson, facilitating her release from Kirikiri Prison within the week. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has also agreed to lift the lifetime flying ban imposed on her. KWAM 1’s flight ban will be reduced to one month. The NCAA will withdraw its criminal complaints against him, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will work with him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol. A retreat will be held next week to retrain aviation security personnel on managing disruptive passengers and de-escalating potentially explosive situations. Airlines will also review staff conduct towards passengers.
Minister Keyamo emphasised that these decisions were made on compassionate grounds, while also highlighting the importance of safety and security in the aviation sector. He noted that valuable lessons have been learned from these incidents, which have raised public awareness about appropriate conduct within the aviation space.