By Ismail Shuaib
ABUJA: The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA to immediately place popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, also known as K1 De Ultimate, on a no-fly list.
The order followed a clash between the musician and ValueJet staff at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Tuesday.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in a statement on his official X and Facebook accounts on Thursday, stated that he had reviewed reports and video evidence from relevant aviation agencies.
He described the incident as a “temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides,” which he warned could have led to fatalities.
Keyamo’s investigation found that, contrary to claims by K1’s representatives, the musician repeatedly moved around on the tarmac and deliberately blocked an aircraft from taxiing.
“This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE behaviour,” Keyamo stated. “It is the physical blockage of the aircraft from taxiing that is the reprehensible conduct here, which is akin to a hostage situation.”
While acknowledging that the pilot and captain also acted unprofessionally by attempting to taxi the aircraft before the passenger was removed from its path, Keyamo noted that both parties violated international safety protocols.
Keyamo commended the NCAA for its swift action in temporarily suspending the pilot and captain’s licenses, but questioned why action had not been taken against K1.
In response, he ordered that K1 be placed on a no-fly list pending the outcome of a full investigation.
He also directed that all domestic and international airlines be notified of the directive, warning that any airline that violates the order risks losing its operating license.
“This is one of the tenets of justice I have preached all my life. I will not sit idly by and allow this to pass,” the minister concluded.
