Nigerians on social media have besieged Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo’s X handle to rain anger, disagreement and vituperation on him.
Their outpouring of dissent was in response to his official press statement reversing the prosecution of Ms. Comfort Emmanson and the expected trial of Lagos musician, Wasiu Ayinde, aka KWAM 1 over similar unruly behaviours towards two airlines – Ibom Air and ValueJet Air, respectively.
Keyamo’s statement released Wednesday morning announced a review of their flight ban. KWAM 1 was slammed with 6 months ban which Keyamo said had been reduced to a month.
For Ms. Emmanson, he said her prosecution will be discontinued and she will be released, and the minister would appeal to the body of airline operators to waive her lifetime no-flight ban.
However, Nigerians that follow Keyamo on his X handle disagree with him and poured invective at what they said is a statement aimed at making sure that KWAM 1 escapes punishment as APC member and a close ally of President Bola Tinubu.
They argued that the move reversal was not about leniency on Emmanson, but a deliberate effort to spare KWAM 1 as untouchable because after Emmanson was arraigned and remanded in prison custody on Monday, the Aviation Minister came under heavy public opinion fire accusing him of double standards.
Nigerians were irked that while Emmanson was going through punishment, KWAM 1 was spirited into the bosom of his powerful political allies and shielded because he is connected to Tinubu.
The responses to Keyamo came from followers such as:
Unyime Edet
You are under pressure to slam KWAM 1 with the appropriate legal action which could lead to his imprisonment that is why you have decided to let go of Ms Comfort’s unruly action.
After reading through this your long epistle, you have not mentioned anything like COMPENSATION to Ms. Comfort after she was stripped naked to the whole world, an action which violates her rights and which is liable for huge monetary damages payment.
You think we don’t know what you guys are doing? You are afraid of jailing KWAM 1 because he is from Yoruba and obviously because he is the President’s right-hand man. Partiality of the highest order.
When other countries say Nigeria is a very corrupt country, this is one of the proofs.
I just hope Ms. Comfort gets justice and compensation for the unprofessional action of the airport and airline staffs.
Vj Eldred Opuama
So a lady used one hour to premeditate an assault using dangerous objects on a citizen who is an airline staff.
She then resisted arrest and in the cause had a wardrobe malfunction and you think she deserves a compensation? The people she assaulted would deserve what then?
Mervin
Dear Aviation Minister, Festus Kayamo, it’s truly disheartening to see how decayed and weak Nigeria’s legal system appears, especially when it bends so visibly for those connected to power or influence. The withdrawal of charges against Comfort Emmanson, as outlined in Festus Keyamo’s statement today, seems less about justice and more about a desperate balancing act triggered by the serious case against Wasiu Ayinde (Kwam 1).
It’s clear that without the pressure from a high-profile figure like Kwam 1 facing consequences, the authorities likely wouldn’t have reconsidered Comfort’s situation. This selective compassion exposes a troubling reality: our laws seem to lack genuine fairness, offering leniency only when it suits the narrative or protects the powerful.
The idea that compassion is now a tool for political expediency rather than a consistent principle of justice is heartbreaking—it erodes trust and leaves ordinary citizens like Comfort vulnerable to arbitrary enforcement while the elite skate by.
This isn’t justice; it’s a system buckling under its inconsistencies.
Ibunkunoluwa
Lol
someone stopped a plane from flying, but let’s make him airport security ambassador. Person wey suppose dey jail.
Pls, when will the Minister for defence also make Boko haram members security ambassadors??
Do you people sniff something before taking decisions in this country??
Maduabuchi
This evil government is promoting rascality. How is KWAN1 an ambassador for airport security that he didn’t obey?
What should others learn from it?
Naso @ndlea_nigeria go give that one ambassador, someone that promotes Drugs in all his video
DevonAjala
After remanding her in prison.
What is her compensation? What about her nudes on the internet? What about the people that recorded and posted the nudes?
This is not justice. This is merely covering the shame of the aviation industry.
Tinubunomics
I am disappointed in you! You guys should be ashamed honestly! When there is no proper investigation done and you rush to conclusions this is what leads to your decisions.
As a govt you guys messed up big time from handling of the Kwam 1 case to this lady case.
You won’t find saner climes govt agencies moving about like this on their decisions.
Wemimo Adewuni
Uhm. I read this with mixed feelings.
It’s great that the criminal charges and no-fly ban against Comfort are being withdrawn. However, Nigerians are smart, you know. We can read between the lines. You’re doing this because of Kwam 1- the goose and the gander.
Actually, I don’t have a problem with Kwam1’s reduced punishment. I believe he was also in a fit of anger and misbehaved. But why are you rewarding bad behaviour with ambassadorship? I don’t get it.
Also, I hope this ‘clemency’ does not infer that Comfort would be bullied not to sue Ibom Air? That Air hostess must be investigated too!
A lot is right about your post. A lot is also wrong about it.
Mr. Creed
@fkeyamo You commit blunders when you focus on politics and neglect your work. Recently, KWAM 1 enjoyed VIP treatment from the same airport security that dehumanized Ms. Comfort, arrested her, and charged her to court simply because she is poor. Both committed the same offense, yet treatment differed. As Minister of Aviation and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, act sincerely. The same security that tossed Ms. Comfort out of the plane allowed KWAM 1 on the tarmac with alcohol. Pay attention, 0.01mm error can crash an aircraft. We want a safe aviation industry.”