Anyone engaged in any criminal act at the nation’s airports may not go scot-free any longer, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has warned.
Keyamo gave the warning on Wednesday in a statement announcing the withdrawal of criminal complaints against fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, and Ms. Comfort Emmanson.
While Emmanson assaulted a crew member and some other officials of Ibom Air at the airport, KWAM 1 breached safety at the airport as he stood in front of Value Jet aircraft to prevent take off.
Kwam 1 had been issued with a six months “No fly” ban while comfort had been remanded in Kirikiri correctional centre and banned for life from flying.
But announcing the granting of pardon and withdrawal of criminal complaints against the two person, the minister said the chances of pardon against any such criminal action in future would no longer be condoned.
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His words: “We are also sending a CLEAR MESSAGE that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously and we have decided to draw a line after these clemencies.”
The minister explained that the withdrawal of the criminal cases against KWAM 1 and Emmanson was on compassionate grounds.
He also argued that the decision had nothing to do with the sentiment expressed in some quarters over the cases of the two persons in question.
On Emmanson’s case, the minister stated that he had conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the complaint against her, having “exhibited great remorse for her conduct.”
In the case of Wasiu Ayinde and Value Jet, the minister said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, would reduce his flight ban to a one-month period.
In the case of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi, and the co-pilot, First Officer Ivan Oloba of Value Jet, the NCAA would restore their licenses after the period of one-month ban after undergoing some mandatory professional re-appraisal.
