The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has condemned the altercation involving social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman, and comedian Freedom Atsepoyi, also known as Mr Jollof, vowing that both men will face sanctions for their conduct aboard an Asaba–Lagos flight on Monday.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, in a post shared on , described the fight as “unacceptable behaviour” that endangered passengers, crew, and the aircraft.
He said, “There is no tolerance for unruly behaviour aboard an aircraft. Both individuals will face the full strength of the law.
The aviation regulator expressed dismay that both men, who regularly lecture their millions of followers about responsible behaviour, were at the centre of such a breach.
“It is even more shameful when one considers both of them partners in educating their millions of followers to avoid unruly behaviour, he further stated.
He emphasised that the actions aboard the flight violated aviation safety rules, adding that the airline must report the incident for further legal action.
“The actions of both men put the safety of all other passengers and the crew at risk. It also put the safety of the aircraft at risk,” he added.
The NCAA warned that no provocation or online dispute justifies violence on board an aircraft.
According to NCAA, “The NCAA has exerted a lot of energy and resources in educating passengers about the dangers of unruly behaviour and its consequences.
“In this case, no matter what led to the fracas, there is no excuse that makes it acceptable.”
The clash reportedly escalated from an ongoing social media rivalry between the two celebrities. The confrontation turned physical shortly after boarding, forcing passengers and cabin crew to intervene as chaos broke out inside the aircraft.
Following the incident, Verydarkman took to Facebook to boast about the encounter, writing, “I don chop Jollof father for inside the plane. He bite me, man wey de bite.”
The NCAA spokesperson stated that the authority was awaiting official details from the airline and crew members involved.
He assured that a comprehensive statement would be released once all reports are reviewed, reiterating that sanctions were inevitable.
