The Federal Government has moved to ease sanctions in two recent aviation controversies, lifting the lifetime flight ban on Ibom Air passenger Ms. Comfort Emmanson and reducing the suspension of celebrated Fuji singer Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly called KWAM 1.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, made the announcement on Wednesday after deliberations with aviation industry stakeholders, saying the review considered public appeals and the repentant attitude of the parties.
Emmanson, arrested on August 10 for alleged misconduct aboard an Ibom Air flight, will be released from Kirikiri Prison this week as the airline formally withdraws its complaint. “When the Police took her statement in the presence of her lawyer, she exhibited great remorse for her conduct,” Keyamo noted.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria has also agreed to rescind her lifetime flying ban, with details to be shared soon.
For KWAM 1, who faced sanctions after an incident on a ValueJet flight, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has reduced his ban to one month and will drop its criminal complaint. FAAN also plans to appoint him as an advocate for airport security best practices.
Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba of ValueJet, implicated in the same incident, will also serve a month-long suspension before regaining their licenses, pending reappraisal.
Keyamo added that a special retreat will be convened next week to strengthen aviation personnel’s capacity to manage disruptive passengers and improve customer service across airlines.
“These acts of clemency do not compromise enforcement,” he stressed. “We have decided to draw a line after these clemencies.”