Aviation’s Minister , Festus Keyamo, says this morning that the authority has ordered Ibom airlines to withdrawn the criminal complaint against the passenger Ms Comfort Emmason, being docked at the Kirikiri prison ,for her alleged unruly behaviour on flights.

Keyamo said : ” In the last 48 hours, I have been in consultation with critical stakeholders in the Aviation Sector and those involved in the unfortunate incidents regarding the unruly behaviours of certain individuals at our airports of recent.

Though regrettable, we think valuable lessons have been learned by all sides to these incidents and airport security protocol, especially, have been well highlighted for the travelling public.

If nothing at all, the episodes have undoubtedly helped to raise public awareness about appropriate conduct within the aviation space.

As highlighted in my previous statements on the last two incidents, clear wrongs were committed by both the offending passengers and staff of the airlines involved from all the evidence available to us and those available to the public.

It is clear that all the actors involved cannot continue to highlight the injury or injustice done to them without acknowledging their own equal culpability.

Therefore, after reviewing the entire incidents, including appeals made by well-meaning individuals and remorse shown by the actors, the following decisions have been reached:

THE CASE OF IBOM AIRLINE AND MS. COMFORT EMMANSON(a) In the case of the unruly passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, on the Ibom Airline on Sunday, the 10th of August, 2025, I have conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the Complaint against her today.

When the Police took her Statement in presence of her lawyer, she exhibited great remorse for her conduct. (b) Subsequent to the withdrawal of the complaint by the Complainant, the CP of Airport Command and the Police Prosecutor will immediately take the remaining steps to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prisons within this week. (c) I have also conferred with the leadership of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and have appealed to them to lift the life-time flying ban imposed on her, to which they agreed.

The details of the resolution will be made public by the AON subsequently.

THE CASE OF VALUEJET AND WASIU AYINDE MARSHALL (KWAM 1)(d) In the case of KWAM 1, the NCAA is to reduce his flight ban to a one-month period.

FAAN will also work with the music star with a view to engaging him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol going forward.(e) Having publicly demonstrated penitence, the NCAA is also to withdraw its criminal complaints against KWAM 1 earlier lodged with the Police. (f) In the case of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi, and the co-pilot, First Officer Ivan Oloba of VALUEJET, the NCAA is to restore their licenses after the same period of one-month ban after undergoing some mandatory professional re-appraisal.

The details will be announced by the NCAA.AIRLINE OPERATORS, AVIATION AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

I have directed all relevant Aviation agencies in collaboration with other complementary agencies outside aviation to IMMEDIATELY begin a retreat NEXT WEEK to properly retrain and prepare our Aviation security personnel on how to deal with errant and disruptive passengers and not to escalate potentially explosive situations.

The retreat will be fully covered by the Press with the opportunity to ask all the relevant questions.

The Airlines will also have their own session when the conduct and attitude of their staff towards members of the travelling public will be in full focus.

FINAL COMMENT

. These above decisions were taken by Government and the airline operators purely on COMPASSIONATE grounds as Government will never pander to base sentiments, politically-motivated views or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws are involved.

We are also sending a CLEAR MESSAGE that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously and we have decided to draw a line after these clemencies.

The African Democratic Congress is alleging that its Interim National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark will be the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s next target of its politically motivated corruption investigations.

In a statement by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, the ADC said the EFCC had embarked on a “choreographed media trial” against coalition leaders after the detention of former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and the invitation of former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

“The EFCC has now surreptitiously started excavating all the files from David Mark’s tenure as Senate President, 10 years after he left office,” Abdullahi said, questioning the timing of the investigations.

“The pattern of ignoring APC stalwarts with fresher and well-documented cases, while targeting opposition.

The party alleged that the crackdown was part of the ruling All Progressives Congress’ strategy to weaken the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law -a human rights organisation – informed that there are more than 22 terror groups presently in Nigeria, destroying and threatening the peace of the country.

This was disclosed in a report just released by the chairman of the organisation, Emeka Umeagbalasi.

He noted that the terror groups, in a bid to achieve their objectives, had so far massacred 7,087 Christians and abducted 7,800 in 220 days of 2025, mostly in the South East and South South.

The report alleged that the terror groups, which consist mainly of foreign Islamic bandits, aim to wipe out an estimated 112 million Christians and 13 million traditional religionists across the country, particularly in the South East, South-South, and North Central in the years to come.

” They have also killed thousands of liberal Muslims in parts of the North. They have killed 185,009 defenseless Nigerians.

“They have also forced millions of Christians out of their homes to become internally displaced persons, IDPs.

“These Islamic terror groups are using violence and genocidal means to obliterate or wipe out Nigeria’s indigenous ethnic groups and their identities”, the rights group alleged.

“These 22 terror groups operating unchallenged and under strongly suspected state protection, are seeking further to plunge Nigeria into a country where Christianity is banned and brutally crushed, relegated and forced underground.

“Our study also showed that no fewer than 19,100 churches have been attacked, burnt down, or destroyed.

The number is on a steady growth. And no fewer than 500 Christian clerics were attacked and abducted in the past 16 years, including, 160 Catholic priests and the killing of eleven others, among them, Seminarians from 2015 to August 10, 2025.