The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified the agency’s role in two recent incidents, stating that the authority only intervenes when it’s within its jurisdiction.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Mike Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection for the NCAA, said the agency did not intervene in the case involving Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, also known as K1 De Ultimate, because the airline chose not to press charges.
He said: “There is no comparison here; it’s not a case of oranges and oranges. In the Kwam1 incident, the airline did not activate its rights to take the passenger to court, so the NCAA did what it was supposed to do by petitioning the authorities to petition the passenger.
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In the Ibom Air incident, where a passenger assaulted a member of the airline’s staff, he said the carrier promptly exercised its right to pursue the matter in court.
“Maybe because their staff had been assaulted, the airline immediately activated its right to take up the matter, and it went to court, so the NCAA is not involved in the case of the Ibom Air passenger,” he said.
The passenger, identified as Emmanson Comfort, was arraigned in court on the same day the incident occurred and subsequently remanded.
Achimugu noted that both incidents show the aviation system is under strain, adding that “there’s enough blame to go around — FAAN, AVSEC, cabin crew, passengers.”