The Nigerian government and airline operators have decided to lift the lifetime flying ban on Comfort Emmanson, a passenger involved in an incident on Ibom Air, and reduce the suspension of popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1) to just one month.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced on his official X account that the agreements followed talks with aviation stakeholders, appeals from concerned parties, and sincere apologies from those involved.
Emmanson, who had been held in Kirikiri Prison since the incident on August 10, 2025, will be freed within the week after Ibom Air withdrew its criminal complaint against her. Additionally, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) agreed to lift her lifetime ban, signaling a fresh start for her passage with airlines.
For Wasiu Ayinde, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) accepted to reduce his ban to one month and drop their complaint. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will appoint him as an ambassador for airport security protocols, a role aimed at promoting better behavior around airports.
Minister Keyamo further revealed that the ValueJet pilots involved in a related incident, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, will serve the same one-month suspension and undergo a mandatory professional re-evaluation before their licenses are reinstated. These pilots were suspended earlier for taxiing their aircraft with people on the runway.
Keyamo emphasized that these decisions were made out of compassion and do not soften the government’s stance on aviation safety and misconduct. He assured that safety and security remain top priorities for the aviation sector in Nigeria.
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