News
Keyamo Orders Ibom Airlines to withdraw criminal charges against passenger Comfort Emmason
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.
Aviation’s Minister , Festus Keyamo, says this morning that the authority has ordered Ibom airlines to withdrawn the criminal complaint against the passenger Ms Comfort Emmason, being docked at the Kirikiri prison ,for her alleged unruly behaviour on flights.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.
A new documentary on the life and political struggle of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola is set to premiere in Nigerian cinemas in October.
Titled MKO, the 108-minute film is directed by Ose Oyamendan and produced with American documentary filmmaker Mark Jonathan Harris. It explores the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as free and fair, Abiola’s subsequent detention, and the controversial circumstances surrounding his death in custody in 1998.
The documentary features interviews with key figures including former military rulers Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, Abiola’s running mate Baba Gana Kingibe, members of the Abiola family, journalists, and diplomats.
Oyamendan, who worked as a young journalist during the June 12 crisis, has described the film as an investigative documentary that examines Nigeria’s unfinished democratic journey. It had its world premiere earlier this year at the Sheffield DocFest in the United Kingdom.
The Nigerian cinema release is scheduled for early October, with some reports linking the premiere to Independence Day on October 1.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results of underage candidates for viewing.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB defined an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise as any candidate who will be less than 16 years old as at September 30, 2026.
Benjamin said the results were released primarily to enable candidates and their parents or guardians to know their performance in the examination. However, he stressed that the release does not confer eligibility for admission on all underage candidates.
According to him, the results cannot be used for admission or any other official purpose, except by candidates who satisfy the stringent requirements prescribed for exceptionally performing underage candidates.
Candidates can check their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card with which they registered for the UTME.
JAMB reiterated that only underage candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and maturity will be considered for admission through a rigorous, multi-stage assessment process. Key requirements include a minimum UTME score of 320, at least 80 per cent performance in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) subjects where applicable, satisfaction of the Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions, and a final assessment conducted by experts.
Veteran journalist Mr. Ohi Odiai and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Ohi-Odiai, today mark their 17th wedding anniversary, a milestone that highlights an enduring partnership built on mutual support, professional excellence, and family.
Mr. Odiai serves as Deputy Head of News at Arise News TV, one of Nigeria’s leading television networks. He is also the CEO and Chief Editor of Ohibaba.Com, the online news platform he founded and continues to steer as a key voice in digital journalism. His career spans years of impactful reporting, newsroom leadership, and media innovation.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ohi-Odiai is the owner and founder of Bukbeth Concepts Classic, a business reflecting her entrepreneurial drive and creative vision. Together, the couple has built a home grounded in shared values and quiet strength.
The family is blessed with three children — two boys and a girl — who form the heart of their journey.
Friends, colleagues, and well-wishers describe the Odiais as a model of resilience and partnership in both public and private life.
As they celebrate 17 years of marriage today, September 5, 2026, the couple is receiving warm congratulations from across the media and business communities. Their story stands as a reminder that lasting unions thrive on commitment, respect, and the everyday work of building a life together.
Happy anniversary to Mr. Ohi Odiai and Mrs. Elizabeth Ohi-Odiai.
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