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The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mike Achimugu, has explained the agency’s limited role in two recent unruly passenger incidents, stressing that it only intervenes when necessary and within its legal mandate.
Speaking on Tuesday’s edition of The Morning Brief on Channels Television, Achimugu said that in the case of Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, the airline chose not to press charges.
“As the airline in this case did not exercise its right to prosecute, the NCAA petitioned the relevant authorities to take legal action and advised the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to impose a ban,” Achimugu stated.
In contrast, he said that in the Ibom Air case — involving passenger Comfort Emmanson allegedly assaulting a member of the airline’s staff — the carrier immediately went to court.
“Perhaps because their staff had been assaulted, the airline swiftly activated its right to take legal action. Since it was already before the court, the NCAA played no role in that case,” he explained.
Authorities charged Emmanson to court the same day and remanded her in custody. The AON later issued a lifetime ban, preventing her from flying with any member airline, either domestically or internationally.
Achimugu observed that both incidents show weaknesses in the aviation system, adding that responsibility lies with all parties — FAAN, AVSEC, cabin crew, and passengers.
He emphasised that unruly behaviour is unacceptable anywhere in the world and that aviation regulations exist for the safety of all passengers, not for sentimental reasons.
In the Ibom Air case, reports indicate that other passengers seized Emmanson’s phone and switched it off during the altercation.
The AON warned that any passenger engaging in similar behaviour in the future would face the same lifetime ban. K1 De Ultimate, in a separate incident, received a six-month ban from the NCAA for unruly conduct at Abuja Airport last Tuesday.
