The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has condemned the alleged actions of Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, during a recent ValueJet flight, describing the incident as an “act of terrorism” under international aviation standards.
Speaking on Arise TV on Sunday, Mike Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said the musician’s reported conduct—disrupting an aircraft’s take-off—was inexcusable and carried severe legal consequences.
“Your first responsibility at the airport is respect and obey instructions from the officials on ground. The passenger (KWAM 1) has not done that. What he did in most climes is considered terrorism. You cannot stop an aircraft from taking off. There is nothing that excuses it,” Achimugu stated.
He disclosed that a multi-agency probe had been launched, involving the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Aviation Security (AVSEC), and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). The investigation will assess all aspects of the incident, including whether air traffic control had cleared the pilot to depart at the time.
“Did the air traffic control clear the pilot to fly seeing that it was not safe for her to proceed? All of these questions will be answered during the course of the investigation,” he said.
The controversy stems from an August 5 incident involving Flight VK201, which the NCAA says breached Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations. Two days later, on August 7, the authority petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police to conduct a criminal investigation.
