Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to place Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, on a no-fly list.
The directive follows a safety breach at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, involving KWAM 1 and two pilots of ValueJet Airlines. The pilots, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, have had their licences suspended.
Keyamo also instructed the NCAA to notify both domestic and international airlines of the directive, warning that any operator who defies it risks having their licence withdrawn.
In a statement posted Thursday on his official X handle, Keyamo described the incident as a “temporary loss of sanity and control” on both sides, which could have led to serious consequences. He confirmed receipt of reports and video evidence from relevant aviation agencies.
According to the Minister, KWAM 1 obstructed the aircraft by standing in front of it on the tarmac, preventing it from taxiing. “This is totally unacceptable behaviour. The issue of whether he was carrying water or alcohol is not even the point. It is the physical blockage of the aircraft that is the reprehensible conduct here, akin to a hostage situation,” he said.
Keyamo criticised the ValueJet crew as well, stating that no amount of provocation should have caused the pilots to taxi the aircraft while an individual was still on the tarmac. He said both parties breached international aviation safety protocols as outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
While commending the NCAA for suspending the pilots, the Minister questioned why action had not initially been taken against KWAM 1. “What applies to the goose must also apply to the gander. That is one of the tenets of justice I have preached all my life,” he said.
Keyamo concluded by reiterating his order to place KWAM 1 on a no-fly list pending further investigation, and directed airlines to comply or face possible licence withdrawal.