- He warned that its actions have “fatally undermined” the rule of law in cases of insolent behaviour at airports.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has voiced his displeasure at the way the Federal Government handled the airport saga involving Fuji music icon, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1.
The media has been awash with standoffs between airlines and passengers in recent weeks.
Recall that KWAM 1 made headlines last week after he tried to physically block a plane from flying at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, because he was stopped from boarding.
Reacting to the development, Falana chastised the Federal Government’s handling of allegations against KWAM 1.
He warned that its actions have “fatally undermined” the rule of law in cases of insolent behaviour at airports.
In a statement on Wednesday, Falana accused authorities of protecting the musician from due process after grave criminal complaints were lodged against him over the incident.
According to the statement, “One of the allegations being investigated is that the suspect opened his flask and poured its contents on a pilot, a security officer, and some passengers.”
The Inspector-General of Police’s office, Falana noted, had commenced investigations into the matter.
However, he said the process was abruptly short-circuited.
“Without allowing the police to conclude the investigation and possibly file charges against the suspect, the federal government has hastily accepted his apology and granted him pardon,” Falana declared.
In a move Falana described as “even more baffling,” the government reportedly intends to “engage the suspect as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol after the recent controversy.”
The rights advocate argued that such preferential treatment sets a dangerous precedent.
“By this hypothetical action, the federal government has lost its moral right to arrest and prosecute any passenger who commits an offence at any of the nation’s airports,” Falana asserted.
He compared KWAM 1 incident to another case, in which charges against a passenger accused of disorderly conduct aboard an Ibom Air flight were dropped — allegedly to avoid accusations of double standards.
“For instance, the federal government decided to withdraw the charges filed against Ms. Comfort Emmanson… because of the refusal to charge KWAM 1 with appropriate criminal offences,” Falana stated.
Underscoring the constitutional principle of equality before the law, he warned: “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.”