Social media activist Martins Otse (known as VeryDarkMan, or VDM) and comedian Freedom Atsepoyi (Mr Jollof) face potential criminal prosecution after engaging in a physical fight aboard a United Nigeria Airlines Asaba-Lagos flight on Monday.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) condemned the altercation, which required intervention from crew and passengers, stating that the influencers’ conduct violates aviation safety rules and that both individuals “will face the full strength of the law”.
The in-flight brawl is believed to be the escalation of a personal, weeks-long online feud between the two social media personalities, who collectively command millions of followers.
The fight occurred during the boarding of Flight UN0523 at Asaba International Airport. A viral video showed the argument escalating into a physical exchange of blows before crew members and passengers separated the men.
VDM later posted a video claiming he
”don chop Jollof father for inside the plane” adding that the comedian had bitten him.
United Nigeria Airlines confirmed the altercation, stating that its crew immediately de-escalated the situation and deboarded both passengers to ensure the safety of others. The airline then handed the duo over to airport security for further investigation.
The NCAA confirmed that the airline must formally report the incident, which is in line with Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Act, 2022. Section 84 criminalizes acts of violence that endanger the aircraft’s safety, attracting a fine of at least ₦2 million or up to five years’ imprisonment, or both. Section 85 penalizes interference with a crew member’s duties with a fine or imprisonment of at least two months.
The NCAA and the airline emphasised their zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior, viewing the influencers’ actions as reckless conduct that put the safety of all other passengers and the crew at risk.
While the exact cause of the in-flight clash remains unclear, VDM’s post and the history of their online rivalry suggest the incident was an extension of their personal feud.
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