Bolaji Abdullahi, the spokesperson for the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), has described the action of Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM1, in attempting to block an aircraft from taking off as an act of “terrorism.”
KWAM1, who was onboard a ValueJet plane on Tuesday, was seen drinking from a flask and was approached by a flight attendant who suspected the content was alcohol — a substance prohibited onboard aircraft in Nigeria — thereby disallowing him from joining the flight.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also accused KWAM1 of spilling alcohol on aviation personnel when they attempted to verify the content of the flask he wanted to travel with.
The action forced the minister of aviation and aerospace, Festus Keyamo, to declare a six-month flight ban on the Fuji musician, describing his behaviour as a hostage situation.
In a post on Thursday night, Mr Abdullahi commended Mr Keyamo for acting swiftly but noted that the six-month ban was only a slap on the wrist.
He explained that KWAM1 should be prosecuted for his actions at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
“On this KWAM1 matter, I commend my brother, the Honorable Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo for describing the action as a ‘hostage situation.’ A hostage situation is an act of terrorism.
“What are the laws against terrorist actions in Nigeria? Will these laws be applied in this case? Placing KWAM1 on a no-fly list is a good place to start. But it must not end there.
“Nigerians know that KWAM1 is the official musician of the APC. They will therefore wait to see if this fact alone would influence how this matter is handled. If it were an ordinary citizen, it is doubtful if the individual would not be arrested on the spot and processed for prosecution,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
He added, “Even if all our airports are plated in gold, if people coming into our country feel that any drunkard could block the path of an aircraft and endanger their lives, it would amount to nothing.
“Pray, if KWAM1 had done this in Europe or America, what do you think would have happened to him by now? What he did was the ULTIMATE in reckless behaviour. It is an act of terrorism and it should be treated as such. You can’t give him a mere slap on the wrist for this just because he sings for the president.”
