The Nigerian government has placed the controversial musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, on a no-fly list following a confrontation with ValueJet staff at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Penpushing reports that Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the order to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and equally instructed that all domestic and international airlines be informed of the directive.
The Minister warned that anyone who flouts this directive risks withdrawal of their operating licence, stressing that video evidence showed the 68-year-old musician repeatedly obstructing a commercial aircraft from taxiing to the runway.
“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. It is the physical blockage of the aircraft from taxiing that is the reprehensible conduct here which [is] akin to a hostage situation’, Keyamo said
Penpushing further reports that Keyamo in a statement on Thursday, also criticised the aircraft’s captain and pilot for taxiing without first confirming that the tarmac was clear, adding that no amount of provocation should make the captain and pilot of an aircraft to taxi without clearance
“No amount of provocation should make the Captain and Pilot of an aircraft begin to taxi without ensuring that the security personnel have safely moved an unruly passenger away that is standing in front of an aircraft’, he said.
Penpushing also reports that Keyamo said both parties violated global aviation safety rules, pointing out that the incident is a breach of “standard safety protocol as required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The Minister described the altercation as a temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides, and warned that such an incident could have resulted in fatalities, adding that earlier suspension of licences of the captain and pilot involved was unjust to punish only the airline staff.
“I have also questioned their sense of justice in only acting against one party and not the other party. What applies to the goose must also apply to the gander. In the circumstance, I have also directed the NCAA to place KWAM 1 on a NO-FLY list pending further and full investigation’, he stated
Penpushing reports that it would be recalled that on Tuesday, the musician a known friend of President Bola Tinubu was accused by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) of breaching aviation regulations while boarding ValueJet Flight VK 201 to Lagos.
The spokesperson of the agency Obiageli Orah, in a statement alleged that the musician brought an alcoholic beverage onto the flight, raising concern from a flight attendant who reminded him that alcohol consumption is prohibited on domestic flights.
Penpushing further reports that the statement explained that when the musician was asked to surrender the flask containing the alcohol, allegedly refused, insisting it contained prescribed medication, hence, the disagreement escalated, leading to his removal from the aircraft.
The spokesperson of the musician, Kunle Rasheed, while reacting to the incident described the allegations as exaggerated and misleading, adding that his boss never endangered lives or breached safety regulations.
“At no point did K1 act in a manner that endangered lives or breached safety regulations. The substance in question, which was wrongly sensationalised, was nothing more than plain drinking water, given to him at the airport lounge while he waited to board the aircraft’,Rasheed said.
Penpushing also reports the publicist of the Fuji musician added that, despite his(Ayinde’s) efforts to clarify the situation, the situation was unnecessarily escalated, claiming that the musician was in fact the victim in the incident, along with an unnamed personal assistant.
“Claims that K1 blocked the aircraft or attempted to disrupt operations are entirely unfounded,” he said. According to him, senior officials from the airport, FAAN, NCAA and the airline management personally reached out to apologise and offered a private jet to fly the singer to Lagos at no cost, an offer he declined.
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