The case, which has drawn public attention, stemmed from a disruption reportedly caused by Fuji music icon, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, aboard a Lagos-bound ValueJet flight. According to accounts, the incident escalated into a security breach, prompting swift regulatory action against the flight crew.
In a statement issued in Lagos by NAAPE’s National President, Galadima Abednego, the association emphasised the need for a transparent, unbiased, and open investigation into the matter. While acknowledging that the captain’s judgment in handling the situation could have been more tactful, NAAPE condemned what it described as KWAM 1’s “crude, unruly behaviour” and “arrogant display.”
“Aviation is built on two pillars — safety and security — and we hold these principles in the highest regard,” Abednego stated, stressing that the musician’s conduct amounted to intense provocation for pilots with otherwise unblemished service records.
The association praised the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA’s Director-General for acting promptly in the public interest but argued that the primary culpability lay with the passenger whose actions sparked the disruption.
NAAPE urged the NCAA to reconsider the sanctions imposed on the ValueJet crew and restore their licences, warning that holding pilots solely responsible in such incidents could set an unhealthy precedent for the industry.
Beyond the regulatory appeal, the association called on airlines to stand firmly behind their flight crews and urged passengers to maintain decorum and cooperate with airport and airline staff for the sake of safety.
The controversy reached another turning point when KWAM 1 issued a public apology on Friday, shortly after the NCAA reportedly blacklisted him from both domestic and international travel through Nigerian airports.