Denied Boarding, Singer Stands In Front Of Plane, Blocks It From Taking Off
Nigeria's aviation minister Festus Keyamo said in a statement on Thursday that King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, a celebrated fuji singer, stood on the tarmac to "block the aircraft from taxiing" following an altercation with airport officials.
Popularly known as KWAM 1, the singer was scheduled to travel on a ValueJet flight from Nigeria's capital Abuja to Lagos on Tuesday.
During boarding, the singer was told by airport security that he could not take his flask into the plane, said Obiageli Orah, spokeswoman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
"The passenger allegedly refused and spilled the contents of the flask on the officer, which turned out to be alcohol," she said.
Multiple videos shared on social media, including the one shared by Keyamo, showed Marshal then attempting to stand in front of the aeroplane as it began to taxi.
The singer had to crouch to avoid being hit by the wings of the aircraft.
The captain and the pilot have had their licences suspended, Keyamo said.
"My preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides which could have led to serious fatalities," he said.
The singer is hugely popular in southwest Nigeria, where his traditional fuji music -- a staple among the Yoruba ethnic group -- originated.
A staunch supporter of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, he has a close relationship with the ruling All Progressives Congress and has performed at many of the party's rallies across the country.
He also performed at the presidential inaugural ball when Tinubu was sworn in May 2023.
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NDTV
3 days ago
- NDTV
Denied Boarding, Singer Stands In Front Of Plane, Blocks It From Taking Off
Nigerian authorities have put a popular singer on a no-fly list after he stood in front of a plane on the tarmac in order to block it from taking off after being denied boarding. Nigeria's aviation minister Festus Keyamo said in a statement on Thursday that King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, a celebrated fuji singer, stood on the tarmac to "block the aircraft from taxiing" following an altercation with airport officials. Popularly known as KWAM 1, the singer was scheduled to travel on a ValueJet flight from Nigeria's capital Abuja to Lagos on Tuesday. During boarding, the singer was told by airport security that he could not take his flask into the plane, said Obiageli Orah, spokeswoman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. "The passenger allegedly refused and spilled the contents of the flask on the officer, which turned out to be alcohol," she said. Multiple videos shared on social media, including the one shared by Keyamo, showed Marshal then attempting to stand in front of the aeroplane as it began to taxi. The singer had to crouch to avoid being hit by the wings of the aircraft. The captain and the pilot have had their licences suspended, Keyamo said. "My preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides which could have led to serious fatalities," he said. The singer is hugely popular in southwest Nigeria, where his traditional fuji music -- a staple among the Yoruba ethnic group -- originated. A staunch supporter of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, he has a close relationship with the ruling All Progressives Congress and has performed at many of the party's rallies across the country. He also performed at the presidential inaugural ball when Tinubu was sworn in May 2023.
News18
3 days ago
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Fuji Singer KWAM 1 Placed on No-Fly List After Airport Drama Unfolds
Last Updated: The drama unfolded during boarding for a flight to Lagos on Tuesday when aviation security personnel asked KWAM 1 to hand over a flask, suspecting it contained alcohol Popular Nigerian fuji singer King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, known as KWAM 1, has been placed on the country's no-fly list following a dramatic confrontation at Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The directive, issued by Nigerian Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, comes after KWAM 1 allegedly blocked a ValueJet aircraft from taxiing on the tarmac. The drama unfolded during boarding for a flight to Lagos on Tuesday when aviation security personnel asked KWAM 1 to hand over a flask, suspecting it contained alcohol. The singer reportedly refused and allegedly spilled the contents—later confirmed as alcohol—on one of the officers. He was subsequently deboarded. Video footage circulating on social media, including one shared by Keyamo, shows KWAM 1 attempting to physically obstruct the aircraft as it began to move. The singer had to crouch to avoid being struck by the plane's wing. In a social media post on X Thursday, Keyamo confirmed that the singer stood in front of the aircraft on the tarmac, blocking its taxiing, after being denied boarding. Keyamo condemned the entire episode as 'a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides," and likened KWAM 1's behaviour to a hostage situation. 'From all the details so far received, my preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides which could have led to serious fatalities," the Nigerian minister noted. Keyamo further emphasised that whether the flask contained water or alcohol was irrelevant compared to the seriousness of blocking an aircraft. 'It is the physical blockage of the aircraft from taxiing that is the reprehensible conduct here which akin to a hostage situation," he added. Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority also suspended the licences of both the captain and pilot involved. KWAM 1 is an iconic figure in southwest Nigeria, renowned for his traditional fuji music—a genre rooted in the Yoruba community. He is also a close affiliate of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, having performed at numerous party rallies and the presidential inaugural ball in May 2023. (With inputs from AFP) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Popular Nigerian singer blocks plane from flying after boarding denied over ‘flask'
King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, a popular Nigerian singer was put on no-fly by the authorities in the country after he blocked a plane on the tarmac from taking off because he was denied boarding. King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal is a popular Nigerian singer known for his expertise in fuji music (X/@fkeyamo) In videos of the incident that surfaced on social media, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal aka KWAM 1 was seen standing in front of the plane, with airport officials trying to move him from there. Nigeria's aviation minister Festus Keyamo said in a statement on Thursday that the celebrated fuji singer, stood on the tarmac to "block the aircraft from taxiing" following an altercation with airport officials. Keyamo also shared on social media a video of the incident. The singer had to crouch to avoid being hit by the wings of the aircraft. The singer was scheduled to travel on a ValueJet flight from Nigeria's capital Abuja to Lagos on Tuesday. During boarding, he was informed by airport security that he could not take his flask into the plane, an AFP news agency report quoted as saying Obiageli Orah, spokeswoman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. "The passenger allegedly refused and spilled the contents of the flask on the officer, which turned out to be alcohol," Orah said. The captain and the pilot have had their licences suspended, Keyamo said. 'I have received reports from all the relevant Aviation agencies regarding the altercation between the staff and crew of ValueJet and Kwam 1 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. I have also received video footages of the incident,' Keyamo said in the post on X. 'From all the details so far received, my preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides which could have led to serious fatalities,' he added. The singer is popular in southwest Nigeria, where his traditional fuji music -- a staple among the Yoruba ethnic group -- originated. KWAM 1 also performed at the presidential inaugural ball when Nigerian President Bola Tinubu was sworn in May 2023.
