Dr. Ope Banwo, Founder, Naija Lives Matter and Mayor of Fadeyi
Ordinarily, I would be the first to commend our proactive and generally sound Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, for the way he handled the case of Ms. Comfort Emmanson (a.k.a. Comfort Bob) Aka KWAM2, the Ibom Air passenger who assaulted flight crew and ground staff.
His intervention in the ‘KWAM2’ case that came barely days after the KWAM1 ultimate case, was prompt, thorough, and multi-dimensional — the kind of decisive action we rarely see in Nigerian public service. He:
- Ordered her immediate arrest and prosecution.
- Supported the court order remanding her to Kirikiri when she couldn’t meet bail.
- Called out the overzealous airline staff who took the law into their own hands, dragging her in a manner that exposed her indecently and then circulated the video online — and ordered sanctions for whoever leaked it.
- Directed Ibom Air to retrain its staff in de-escalation and customer relations to prevent such situations in the future.
This is how a responsible minister responds to a complex, multi-layered incident — addressing both passenger misconduct and staff overreach.
For that, Keyamo deserves applause.
But its also where where my applause stops.
While I have publicly pleaded for leniency for KWAM1 after his apology, I am in all fairness, asking now: Why is KWAM 1 getting different treatment from Comfor (the ‘KWAM2 passenger)?
Barely days before the Ibom Air incident, we had another aviation breach involving Chief Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1). He allegedly:
- Attempted to take prohibited drinks onto a flight.
- Engaged in a heated argument with the crew.
- Poured liquid (water/alcohol) on them.
- Planted himself directly in front of the aircraft on the tarmac, preventing take-off.
While i have actually pleaded for the government to temper justice with mercy after KWAM1 apologised publicly, I can’t pretend that his action was a harmless celebrity tantrum — it was a clear violation of aviation safety laws. By obstructing an aircraft on the tarmac, KWAM 1 not only disrupted flight operations but also put himself and others in imminent danger. This was a textbook case of interfering with aviation safety — an offence that, under both Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and international aviation law, is prosecutable.
Yet… unlike Ms. Comfort, KWAM 1 was not arrested on the spot, charged in court within 24 hours, and remanded in custody. He received a flight ban, yes — but that’s where it ended.
Why? Double Standards and Dangerous Precedents
Some will argue: “But KWAM 1 didn’t slap anyone.” True — but he poured liquid on crew members (which is assault under Nigerian criminal law) and obstructed a moving aircraft (which is far more dangerous to aviation safety than a slap inside a stationary plane).
From a legal standpoint, KWAM 1’s conduct is no less serious than Ms. Comfort’s — arguably more so. In fact, under ICAO standards and NCAA regulations, interference with flight operations is one of the gravest passenger offences.
The difference in treatment is glaring:
- Comfort Bob: Lifetime Local and Internatinal Ban – Immediate arrest → Court arraignment in <24 hours → Remand in Kirikiri.
- KWAM 1: Local Flight ban → No arrest → No court charges (at least as of today). He was even able to travel to Canada because he had his passport to travel by road to the Republic of Benin to take an international flight.
If the Aviation Ministry applies the law strictly to one passenger but not to another — especially one who is a high-profile figure — it risks eroding public trust. Selective enforcement is not just unfair, it emboldens bad actors who believe fame or influence can shield them from consequences.
The Minister’s Blind Spot
Festus Keyamo’s otherwise commendable decisiveness risks being undermined by this apparent double standard. If “enough is enough” truly applies to unruly passengers, then it should apply to all unruly passengers — whether they are a market woman from Uyo or a music legend from Lagos.
Otherwise, the public will (rightly) suspect that certain offenders are “too connected to be arrested.” That perception is poison to the credibility of both the Ministry and the NCAA.
One Law, Two Standards Applied – Not Good Sir
Mr. Minister, your swift action on the Ibom Air incident set the right precedent. Now, though i am one of the few who had pleaded with you to temper justice with mercy in the case of KWAM 1 a few days ago after he publicly apologized, I tihnk the law should be applied equally to them.
We cant have 1 law, 2 standards. You must extend that same principle to the KWAM 1 case:
- If Ms. Comfort deserved arrest, so does KWAM 1.
- If she was remanded for assault and disruption, so should he face court for assault and obstruction.
This is not about defending bad behaviour — it’s about consistency, fairness, and the rule of law. Aviation safety is too critical to allow for selective justice.
As the saying goes: What is good for the hostess slapper should be good for the plane blocker. Anything less turns “equal enforcement” into an empty slogan.
My Name is Dr Ope Banwo Ope Banwo II
Founder, Naija Lives Matter.
The Mayor Of Fadeyi