Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has accused the Federal Government of undermining its credibility in prosecuting cases of unruly behaviour at the nation’s airports.
Falana faulted the government’s decision to accept the apology of Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, over his recent conduct at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, without allowing police investigations to run their course.
The senior lawyer alleged that KWAM 1, who is being investigated for allegedly pouring the contents of a flask on a pilot, a security officer, and passengers, was hastily pardoned and is now being considered for appointment as an ambassador for airport security protocol.
He argued that such preferential treatment prompted the withdrawal of charges against Comfort Emmanson, an Ibom Air passenger earlier accused of unruly behaviour, thereby setting a precedent that could erode equal application of the law.
“Since citizens have equal rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law, the Federal Government will henceforth be accused of subjecting any unruly passenger to discriminatory treatment on the ground that KWAM 1 was ‘pardoned’ without any criminal trial whatsoever,” Falana stated.
He warned that by handling KWAM 1’s case differently, the government had effectively lost the moral right to prosecute other airport misconduct cases in the future.
