The Nigerian Senate has announced plans to launch an investigation into a series of troubling altercations between airline staff and passengers in recent weeks.
The decision, led by the Senate Committee on Aviation, follows public outrage over two widely reported incidents. On one hand, popular Fuji artist Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) was involved in a dramatic standoff at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he reportedly blocked a ValueJet aircraft from taking off after refusing to surrender a suspected alcohol-filled flask.
On another flight, a woman identified as Comfort Emmanson was forcefully removed from an Ibom Air flight on the Uyo–Lagos route, after allegedly refusing to turn off her mobile phone.
A viral video showed her slapping a flight attendant who insisted she comply with safety protocols.
Reacting to the developments, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, Chairman of the Senate Aviation Committee, described the events as serious breaches that could threaten aviation safety and public confidence.
“The last two weeks have witnessed incidents too serious to ignore. These cases raise concerns about safety enforcement, operational discipline, and passenger behavior,” Abdulfatai said in a statement issued Tuesday.
He confirmed that the committee will be engaging with aviation regulators, airline operators, security agencies, and civil society groups to review the facts of the cases, examine existing procedures, and recommend appropriate reforms.
“We won’t tolerate lapses that undermine safety or the professionalism expected in aviation. The committee will ensure thorough accountability at every level,” the statement added.
The committee reassured Nigerians of its commitment to ensuring such incidents do not reoccur and pledged to strengthen oversight of the aviation sector.
