The fight between Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), and Freedom Atsepoyi, also known as Mr Jollof, while onboard a plane, may look like a cruise on social media, but under the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, it is a serious matter.
That law does not smile at anything that might threaten the safety of passengers or crew.
Section 85 and other safety provisions make it clear that once you behave in a way that can cause panic or put people at risk, you have entered the territory of ‘unruly passenger’, and consequences must follow.
Section 85 specifically criminalises ‘assaults, intimidates, or threatens any flight crew member … or engages in an unruly behaviour onboard such aircraft’.
The penalty on conviction is a fine of at least N200,000, or imprisonment for a minimum of two months, or both.
So this one is not just ‘influencer wahala’; it is a breach of aviation law.
From what the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, said, both of them were already deplaned and taken for questioning, which is the correct first step.
But the law allows more. The NCAA can recommend that they be placed on a no-fly list, and it can write to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to begin proper prosecution.
Even though the NCAA cannot prosecute by itself, it has the authority to trigger every other action needed. And honestly, this case deserves that full follow-through.
This is why the NCAA should not allow this matter to just die down with the next trending gist. The Civil Aviation Act gives them the power to act, and Nigerians need to see that whether you’re popular or not, the rules still apply.
If this kind of behaviour goes unaddressed, it sends the message that anybody can misbehave inside a plane and go free, and that is not the type of example we need in this country.
And to the rest of us citizens, ‘flying no be danfo’. Once you enter an aircraft, you enter a controlled environment where everybody must behave sensibly.
The law expects passengers to maintain composure, follow instructions, and avoid anything that can endanger others.
Inside a plane is not where you come and test strength or settle beef. Let’s all act right, respect each other, and make air travel smooth for everybody on board.
