LAGOS, Nigeria — August 13, 2025 — The Federal Government’s decision to withdraw charges against Ms. Comfort Emmanson, previously jailed for assaulting Ibom Air crew, has intensified scrutiny of the ongoing investigation into Fuji music legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) for allegedly disrupting a ValueJet flight. The stark contrast—one freed, one under investigation—has sparked accusations of selective justice, dubbed a “tale of two coins” across Nigeria.
On August 10, 2025, Emmanson clashed with Ibom Air staff on a Uyo-Lagos flight after refusing to turn off her phone. The incident escalated post-landing, with Emmanson allegedly assaulting a flight attendant, tearing her wig, and attempting to use a fire extinguisher. Viral videos showing her forcible removal, partially undressed, drew widespread criticism for violating her dignity. Initially charged and remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre with a lifetime flight ban by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Emmanson was freed on August 13 after Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo withdrew the charges, citing her remorse, and lifted her ban.
Conversely, KWAM 1’s August 5 incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, remains under active police investigation. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) alleges he attempted to board a ValueJet flight with a flask suspected to contain alcohol, a prohibited item. After refusing to surrender it, he was deboarded, then reportedly obstructed the aircraft’s takeoff, breaching Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023. The NCAA petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who ordered the Airport Police Command to probe the matter. Initially slapped with a six-month flight ban, KWAM 1’s sanction was reduced to one month, with talks of him serving as an airport security ambassador. He apologized, claiming the flask contained water for medical purposes, but public demands for accountability persist.
Public sentiment on social media reflects outrage over the disparity. One user wrote, “Comfort was jailed and humiliated in hours, while KWAM 1 walks free, his apology amplified by officials.” Another labeled it “a tale of two nations,” questioning why Emmanson faced swift punishment while KWAM 1’s probe lingers. Former Governor Peter Obi and the Nigerian Bar Association decried the “double standards,” with the latter offering Emmanson pro bono legal support.
The NCAA attributes the difference to Ibom Air’s legal pursuit against Emmanson for assault, unlike ValueJet’s approach. As the Senate probes both cases, the contrast between Emmanson’s release and KWAM 1’s ongoing investigation continues to fuel demands for equitable justice in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
