The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that the travel ban placed on Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, will remain in effect indefinitely until ongoing investigations into a recent flight incident are concluded.
On August 7, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, directed the NCAA to place the musician on a no-fly list for six months, pending the outcome of a full investigation.
He also warned both domestic and foreign airlines to comply with the ban or risk losing their operating licences.
Speaking in an interview on TVC on Thursday, Mike Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, clarified that the restriction would not be time-bound.
“It is no longer a six-month issue. It is until whenever investigations into this matter have been concluded. There is no certain date for that, but investigations are ongoing,” he said.
On preliminary findings, Achimugu stated that KWAM 1 had passed through airport security scanners successfully and accessed the VIP lounge, where it was believed he obtained a bottle of water.
“Passengers boarding from the VIP lounge still undergo another check before getting on the plane. It was at that point the liquid was discovered, and he was told he could not board with it and was asked to stand aside,” he explained.
According to Achimugu, the allegation is that the musician refused to comply and proceeded towards the aircraft. Security personnel, possibly avoiding the use of force, walked alongside him to the foot of the plane, where the pilot was called to assess the situation.
“While that was going on, in trying to prove that what he was carrying was harmless, he splashed water. Somehow, some of it splashed on the pilot, who got angry, got back into the aircraft, and shut the door of the plane,” he added.
He emphasised that these details are based on preliminary investigations and that no final conclusions would be made until the probe is complete.
The NCAA official assured that the findings would be made public once the investigation ends, stressing that aviation incidents are rarely as straightforward as they seem.
He further noted that the matter has been escalated to the country’s highest legal authorities, with petitions sent to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate the incident involving ValueJet airline and KWAM 1.
