THE Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into allegations that fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, obstructed the safe operation of an aircraft in Abuja.
The Nigeria Police Force said on Monday, August 12, that it received a formal petition from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) accusing KWAM 1 of allegedly obstructing the safe operation of the ValueJet aircraft at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“He is accused of engaging in unruly conduct that allegedly obstructed the safe operation of an aircraft, in violation of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023 following a reported incident on 5 August 2025 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“In response, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun Ph.D., NPM, has directed the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the matter, to unravel the circumstances which led to the ugly incident and ensure justice is served accordingly” the statement signed by the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said.
The ICIR reports that Nigerians had criticised President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government for showing double standards in handling KWAM’s case and that of another passenger Comfort Emmanson, who allegedly attacked Ibom Air crew and airport security at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, on Sunday, August 10.
While the female passenger was hurriedly charged in court by the police and detained in Kirikiri within 24 hours that she committed the alleged offence, KWAM, who is widely believed to have strong links with the Presidency, has been walking freely on the street for over a week after he was seen in widely circulated videos blocking an aircraft because he was denied boarding.
The ICIR reported that the saga began on August 5 when the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced that the 68-year-old musician had tried to board a ValueJet Airlines flight to Lagos carrying an “unidentified liquid substance.”
Airport authorities claimed that the singer ignored warnings from both Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel and the flight captain.
They further alleged that the singer spilled alcohol on aviation personnel while they tried to inspect the contents of a flask he intended to travel with.
The singer later argued that the substance was “plain drinking water” given to him at the airport lounge while awaiting boarding and not alcohol.
However, KWAM 1 eventually tendered an apology to Nigerians and the Federal Government on August 8, for his unruly conduct, hours after Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, directed the NCAA to place him on a no-fly list for six months.
In its latest statement, the Force reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safety and security within Nigeria’s aviation sector, while pledging enhanced collaboration with stakeholders to strengthen aviation security and enforce strict compliance with aviation regulations.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.