The Federal Government has dropped its criminal complaint against Ms Comfort Emmanson, accused of unruly behaviour on an Ibom Air flight, and reduced the flight ban on Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, SAN, announced the decisions on Wednesday after consultations with aviation stakeholders. He said the resolutions followed reviews of the incidents, appeals from concerned Nigerians, and remorse shown by those involved.

Ibom Air has agreed to withdraw its complaint against Emmanson, who was arrested over the August 10 incident. Keyamo said police at the Airport Command and the prosecutor would work to secure her release from Kirikiri Prison this week. The Airline Operators of Nigeria will also lift the lifetime flying ban imposed on her, with details to be released soon.

On the ValueJet incident involving KWAM 1, Keyamo said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority had reduced his ban to one month. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria will also engage him as an ambassador for airport security protocol. The NCAA will withdraw its criminal complaint against the musician, while the same one-month ban will apply to ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, whose licences will be restored after mandatory professional reappraisal.

Keyamo added that a retreat would be held next week to retrain aviation security staff on handling disruptive passengers and de-escalating tense situations, while airlines will review staff conduct towards travellers. He stressed that the clemency was granted on compassionate grounds but warned that the government would not compromise on enforcing aviation safety laws.

The August 10 incident involved Emmanson refusing to switch off her phone on a Lagos–Uyo Ibom Air flight, physically assaulting a crew member, and being escorted off the aircraft at Murtala Mohammed International Airport. Ibom Air later imposed a lifetime ban, citing its zero-tolerance policy toward violence.

On August 5, KWAM 1 was accused of carrying a prohibited flask believed to contain alcohol on a ValueJet flight in Abuja, pouring its contents on staff, and obstructing the aircraft’s movement on the tarmac. He later claimed the flask contained water for medical reasons.