By Okechukwu Nwanguma
Swift justice is commendable. But selective justice is a problem.
Within hours of an Ibom Air incident, passenger Comfort Emmanson was charged in court for assaulting a crew member on a Uyo–Lagos flight and remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Facility. The message was clear: unruly behaviour in the air will not be tolerated.
But on August 5 – six days ago, we saw another high-profile incident — this time involving popular Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1). He was deboarded from a ValueJet flight after attempting to stop the aircraft from taking off. The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the incident. Yet, no charges. No court appearance. No Kirikiri. Silence.
So, what’s the difference?
Is it the particulars of the two incidents — or the particulars of the personalities involved? Is this about the offence or the offender’s social standing?
If the aviation authorities want to be taken seriously on passenger misconduct, they must enforce rules consistently. Justice must not only be swift; it must be equal. Otherwise, we risk replacing unruly passengers with an unruly justice system.
