Crime
JUST IN: NCAA Clarifies Role in Passenger Incidents, Says Ibom Air Filed Charges Against Comfort Emmanson
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified its involvement in two recent incidents involving unruly passengers, stating that it was not the regulatory body but Ibom Air that initiated legal action against passenger Ms. Comfort Emmanson.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, explained that the authority steps in only when necessary and within the limits of its mandate.
Addressing the case of Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate or Kwam 1, Achimugu noted that the airline involved in that incident chose not to pursue legal action. As a result, he said, the NCAA petitioned relevant authorities to prosecute the passenger and issued an advisory to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) recommending a ban.
“In K1’s case, the airline did not activate its right to take the passenger to court. Therefore, NCAA stepped in and petitioned for prosecution, while advising the AON to ban the individual from flying,” Achimugu said.
However, in the more recent incident involving Emmanson, who allegedly assaulted an Ibom Air staff member during a flight, the airline immediately initiated legal proceedings.
“Perhaps because their staff was assaulted, Ibom Air acted swiftly and took the case to court themselves. NCAA has no role in that case,” he clarified.
Achimugu said both incidents point to rising tensions within the aviation environment, stating, “The system is being tested, and there’s enough blame to go around—FAAN, AVSEC, cabin crew, and passengers alike.”
He reiterated the global stance against unruly behavior aboard aircraft and stressed the importance of passengers complying with cabin crew instructions for safety reasons.
Achimugu also revealed that during the confrontation involving Emmanson, other passengers reportedly seized and turned off her phone.
Meanwhile, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has imposed a lifetime no-fly ban on Emmanson across all member airlines. The ban was announced on Monday in a statement issued by AON spokesperson, Obiora Okonkwo, who warned that similar acts of misconduct would attract the same penalty.
The incident occurred aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to Lagos.
Crime
Ebonyi: Gunmen Assasinate Another Traditional Ruler
The latest incident brings to five the number of traditional rulers killed in Ebonyi in recent times, deepening concerns over rising insecurity and targeted attacks on community leaders.
• Ebonyi map
Gunmen have assassinated another traditional ruler in Ebonyi State, in what residents describe as a brazen and targeted attacks.
The victim, HRH Eze Jehoshaphat Ikegwu of Ishinkwor community in Onicha Local Government Area, was reportedly shot dead at his private residence after the assailants gained access under the cover of darkness.
Eyewitnesses said that the attackers fired through a window before forcing their way into the building, and killed the monarch in his bedroom in the presence of his wife.
The Chairman of Onicha LGA, Ikechukwu Ogbofia, has condemned the killing as barbaric, confirming that security agencies have launched an investigation.
Police spokesman, SP Joshua Ukandu, also said that the command has commenced a full probe.
The latest incident brings to five the number of traditional rulers killed in Ebonyi in recent times, deepening concerns over rising insecurity and targeted attacks on community leaders.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received a detailed briefing on the recent deadly attack in Jos, Plateau State, and approved additional security measures to restore lasting peace in the affected areas.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State disclosed this after meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
The governor described the Palm Sunday attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, which claimed over a dozen lives and left many injured, as “an act of terrorism.”
He said security forces have since restored calm following fresh disturbances involving looters on Wednesday morning.
“Additional security measures have been approved by the President in conjunction with state security architecture, while investigations continue to unravel the identities and motives of the attackers, who are yet to be fully apprehended,” Governor Mutfwang stated.
The governor also revealed that President Tinubu may visit Plateau State soon to commiserate with victims and affected families.
The meeting followed President Tinubu’s earlier high-level session with top security and intelligence chiefs to review the situation and chart a coordinated response to the violence.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, on Wednesday arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the hearing of his bail application in an ongoing alleged corruption trial.
The court premises witnessed a heavy security presence, with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies deployed to maintain order and control access to the facility.
Movement around parts of the court complex is restricted, reflecting heightened public interest and sensitivity surrounding the case.
El-Rufai, who has been in custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is facing multiple charges, including allegations bordering on money laundering, possession of public property, and related offences.
More details later…
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