Etim EtimLast week’s incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, involving Fuji star, King Wasiu Anyinde Marshal (KWAM 1), ValueJet airline, and airport security has once again brought unruly behavior of some air passengers to the spotlight and highlighted the weaknesses of aviation security. KWAM 1 has admitted wrongdoing and apologized for his misbehavior, but no amount of apology can exonerate him from his criminal conduct. He should therefore be prosecuted to deter others from behaving badly at our airports. As a music star, KWAM 1 is well connected to the most powerful people in the country, and thus, he feels too entitled to comply with basic rules. But we should not allow arrogant people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol to compromise the safety of our aviation services and make air travel unsafe.
Five days after the KWAM 1 incident, an unruly passenger on Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos created a scene on board the aircraft and posed a serious threat to the safety of the crew, passengers, and aircraft. According to a statement from the airline, the incident happened on Sunday, August 10, 2025, and it involved a young female passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson. Shortly before take-off, she was instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures to switch off her mobile phone. She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off. This action prompted a verbal tirade from Ms. Emmanson. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelUpon arrival in Lagos, Ms. Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront the purser, who had earlier instructed her to switch off her phone. She walked up to the unsuspecting purser, stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses, threw them to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her. She slapped her several times, and when the other cabin crew member tried to intervene, she slapped her too. She then attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.
By this time, the Pilot-in-Command had alerted airport security. Before security arrived, the purser, as seen in the viral video on the internet, prevented the passenger from leaving the aircraft until security arrived. The arrival of Ibom Air Security personnel did not deter the passenger as she attacked them as well, lashing out violently at the security personnel. She was then restrained and removed from the aircraft by force. Even after disembarking, she continued to assault Ibom Air security personnel and even slapped the ground supervisor. Ms Emmanson was subsequently removed from the ramp and taken into custody by FAAN security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation. Ibom Air has since submitted a report on the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and placed a travel restriction on the passenger. Clearly, her conduct is an obvious symptom of drug addiction and mental instability.
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It is the second such incident involving Ibom Air and an irate passenger this year. On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, another female passenger on Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Abuja, Chiamaka Ubani, caused so much disruption that the flight was cancelled. The police have since initiated legal proceedings against her. I hope the case will be prosecuted diligently. Ms Emmanson should also be prosecuted. I wrote a piece on the Ubani incident on January 13 and advised our airlines and airport authority to strengthen security against irate passengers. I believe that these uncontrollable passengers are under the influence of alcohol and hard drugs, and their behaviours are capable of putting our safety at risk. Can you imagine a scenario in which any of these people gets too violent, subdues the cabin crew, forces himself into the cockpit, and struggles for control of the aircraft with the frightened pilots? Must we wait for these drug addicts to bring down an airplane before we curtail them?
Nigerians are becoming too pompous to obey simple rules like switching off electronic devices before take-off. I usually have to shout at such passengers before some of them would reluctantly comply. These are adults who behave badly as over-pampered kids.
In the Emmanson incident last Sunday, I noticed that the airport security was helpless as the woman went amok, slapping and assaulting the crew and the security personnel. The security staff did not even have simple plastic handcuffs with which to restrain her. This is unacceptable. FAAN should retrain aviation security and equip them with handcuffs to restrain these junkies and substance abusers. I thank God that I was not on that flight, as I would have been tempted to kick her in the groin. I hate nonsense! As for the 68-year-old KWAM 1, I understand that he’s been going about issuing threats at ValueJet airline, boasting that he’s too connected to be disciplined. He should be barred from air travel for a long time. Since he’s so well connected, his friends can get him a private jet.
Etim Etim
ETIM ETIM is a journalist, banker and author. He has been a member of the Editorial Board of The Guardian, a Regional Manager in Access Bank and is currently a Columnist in Prime Business Africa, The Cable and Businessday newspapers.
He is also the Chief Executive of Stein Meyer Communications, a major media consultancy and the author of the best-selling book, "Akwa Ibom Heroes: Inside Story of the Fight for Abrogation of Onshore-Offshore Oil Dichotomy" and co-author of another book, "Osinbajo Strides: Defining Moments of an Innovative Leader".
