Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has called for the arrest and prosecution of Fuji music legend King Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM1, over his recent alleged misconduct on a ValueJet flight.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Effiong criticised the handling of the case, alleging that KWAM1 was receiving preferential treatment because of his close ties to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He dismissed the singer’s public apology, insisting that an offence had been committed and should be tried in court. Effiong argued that if apologies were enough to escape legal consequences, then every inmate should be freed.
“I doubt if there is any inmate in Kirikiri that is not willing to offer an apology to be freed. Evans, the convicted kidnapper, has apologised—let the government free him since Nigeria is now setting people free on the basis of apology,” Effiong said.
He added that the perception that the law is lenient toward the powerful but harsh on the weak could have dangerous consequences for the country.
“What KWAM1 did cannot be tolerated. Do you know why he was so audacious? He is a friend of the President, connected to the high and mighty. You would have also seen the audio circulating where he allegedly threatened the owner of the airline. What do you think emboldens him? Because impunity has become our culture,” he stated.
