Where there are no consequences for violations of simple rules, despite an avalanche of legal provisions, to serve as deterrence to vagabonds who think they are highly connected, there will always be a reign of anomie or senseless behaviours.

The unfolding scenarios of air travellers breaching aviation rules and still walking freely and talking tough against airline owners is a potent danger for the country.

If Wasiu Ayinde Marshall aka K1 had been dragged before a high court in Abuja on August 5, 2025 or a day after he broke the record as Nigeria’s first popular Nigerian to attempt to stop a plane from flying by standing on its path, the country could have been spared the horrible reenactment of this motor park tout syndrome exhibited by Ms. Comfort Emmanson on an Uyo – Lagos Ibom Air flight on Sunday August 10, 2025.

In Wasiu Ayinde’s case, he escaped death by the whiskers as he dodged the plane’s wing as it taxied off the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja that day.

In a clip which went viral, K1, as he is fondly called, was seen attempting to board a ValueJet Airlines flight to Lagos with a flask containing  “unidentified liquid substance.” According to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, he ignored directives from aviation security (AVSEC) and the flight captain during an attempt to inspect his flask.

Despite spilling the content of his flask believed to be alcohol, on the Captain and Pilot of ValueJet, the airport security staff were still cautious and did not rough-handle him, a treatment he rightly deserved.

Upon being shut out, Wasiu made a failed attempt to prevent the aircraft from taxing by standing at its front.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, responded two days later, after an initial briefing by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

He said the manner Wasiu Ayinde conducted himself on that day was similar to that of a hostage taker.

His words: “I have received reports from all the relevant Aviation agencies regarding the altercation between the staff and crew of ValueJet and Kwam 1 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. I have also received video footage of the incident.

“From all the details so far received, my preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides, which could have led to serious fatalities.

“Contrary to what the agents of Kwam 1 has said, he CONSTANTLY moved his position on the tarmac to ACTUALLY BLOCK the aircraft from taxiing to take position on the runway for take-off.

“This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE behaviour. The issue of whether he was carrying water or alcohol is not even in issue at this point.

“It is the physical blockage of the aircraft from taxiing that is the reprehensible conduct here which is akin to a hostage situation.”

Since the ugly show of shame by the Fuji musician, Nigerians have been flaggerbasted by the slap on the wrist by the Minister who simply clamped a six month no fly ban on the reckless musician while he suspended the licences of the flight pilot, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi, and the co-pilot, First Officer Ivan Oloba, for breach of aviation safety protocols.

While we applaud the minister’s initial action, we believe it fell short of the penalty Wasiu Ayinde deserves. And Nigerians have raised several questions since such as: Could Keyamo be waiting for further briefing from higher quarters before arraigning Wasiu Ayinde?

Or was the minister afraid to deal decisively with someone who is very close to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu so much so that on his birthday recently, he had ignominously referred to the Nigerian leader who called to congratulate him as “Iwo,” a Yoruba euphemism for a nobody?

Worse still, Wasiu that day stupidly put the President’s call on speaker mode, thus exposing Tinubu to ridicule as he boasted to the whole world that nothing could happen to him as Asiwaju (the President) is alive.

Although Waisu Ayinde has feebly apologised over the plane blockade incident, the tone was not remorseful. He had said: “The incident is sincerely regretted. I remain committed to upholding the values and responsibilities that come with being a global ambassador of Nigerian music and culture.

“To the Presidency, Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, NCAA, ValueJet, fellow Nigerians, and my teeming fans across the world who have shown great concern since the incident happened, I tender my unreserved and heartfelt apology,” he said in a statement he released on Friday August 8, 2025.

Yet, he insisted that he carried water at all times due to a medical condition causing chronic dehydration. “Contrary to the misleading reports, the flask had nothing but water,” he insisted.

Soon after his statement, a leaked video clip indicated that the musician never really felt sober and threatened to deal with Mr. Kunle Soname, the chief promoter of ValueJet.

In the clip, he could be heard explaining that he wasn’t treated fairly, as his health issue was not taken into consideration before he was subjected to public embarrassment.

“I don’t want to go on that flight anymore in my life, but Soname will feel it, will feel me…will feel me in his business,” the musician said.

The Fuji maestro also boasted that he had helped Soname’s businesses in the past with his government connections.

He said he spoke to Soname while the trouble went on. “I am a patient, I needed the water every second, you won’t want to see me shut down. That was the conversation between me and him and he left me on the queue.

“We spoke for some minutes and that woman came and said…and I said ‘are you fair…you’re not fair. If you are fair, definitely you will pick one thing out of it…that I am a patient and this is my water. Don’t make it a national issue, that’s what I said to her.’

“If they believe in God, let them bring Bible, Quran and swear. I said ‘don’t bring it to a national issue’…and she said no and instructed one person ‘don’t let him go’. And I said ‘is that the way you want it? If that’s the way you want it, then nobody is going.’

“It got to a point, things started gathering momentum, people were gathering and I opened this (referring to the flask) and I poured the content…and said ‘this is water…how can you embarrass me’.

“Soname, your boss, omo mi ni Soname (meaning Soname is my child). In government, I guarantee Soname. I said ‘don’t embarrass your boss. You will make this a national issue, if that’s what you want.’

“My name is Wasiu Ayinde, nobody does that with me and gets away with it, nobody, because I didn’t go to look for trouble, I did not. I didn’t bypass queue, I didn’t jump queue, I didn’t do anything and the next thing I heard ‘you can’t go on our flight.”

We believe that Wasiu Ayinde should be treated according to the law, lest a poor handling of the crisis ignite more troublein the industry.

For instance, on August 10, 2025, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) called for the prosecution of the Fuji musician for his Augus 5. Already, the pilot and the co-pilot, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and Flight Officer Ivan Oloba respectively have both had their licences suspended by the NCAA for breach of aviation safety protocols.

NAAPE through a statement signed by its National President, Mr Galadima Abednego, that the authorities should pardon Captain Ogoyi and Aloba, claiming Ayinde made them lose their composure.

“While we note the captain’s less than optimal discretion, we totally condemn KWAM 1’s crude, unruly behaviour and arrogant display.

“NAAPE calls on the authorities to lay the blame on KWAM 1 and make him face the full wrath of the law to prevent future incidents.

“While we are not against investigation, we demand it be open, transparent, and unbiased.

“The intense provocation caused by KWAM 1’s actions stretched the tolerance of seasoned pilots with unblemished records,” the statement read.

Also, the NCAA has sent a petition against the Fuji star to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police that may lead to his prosecution.

Perhaps, the non-prosecution of Wasiu Ayinde to serve as a deterrent to others emboldened Ms. Comfort Emmanson, an unruly passenger on Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos on Sunday, August 10, 2025, to engage in a conduct which posed a serious threat to the safety of crew, passengers, and aircraft.

According to the Airline, shortly before take-off from Uyo, Ms. Emmanson 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.

Said the Airline: “Upon arrival in Lagos, Ms. Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront the Purser who had earlier instructed her. She walked up to the unsuspecting Purser, stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses and threw it 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 could arrive, the Purser as seen on 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 both Ibom Air and FAAN security. She was then restrained and removed from the aircraft by force.

“Even after disembarking, she continued to assault both Ibom Air and FAAN security staff, and even slapped the ground supervisor.

“The passenger was 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 NCAA and placed a travel restriction on Ms. Emmanson, who will no longer be permitted to fly on any of its aircraft.

We feel it is high time the law took its course on the two recalcitrant air travellers before a more dangerous dimension creeps into the air travel business in the country.

And instructively, the whole world, especially the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, is watching how Nigeria handles these cases.

“My name is Wasiu Ayinde, nobody does that with me and gets away with it, nobody, because I didn’t go to look for trouble, I did not. I didn’t bypass queue, I didn’t jump queue, I didn’t do anything and the next thing I heard ‘you can’t go on our flight.”