By Deborah Nnamdi
There was confusion aboard an Abuja-bound aircraft on Monday after social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman (VDM), and comedian Freedom Atsepoyi, widely called Mr. Jollof, engaged in a physical fight, leaving passengers stunned.
The confrontation, captured on video and now circulating online, reportedly began with a heated verbal exchange that quickly escalated into a physical altercation. Cabin crew and alarmed passengers rushed to intervene as both men traded blows inside the crowded aircraft.
Although the cause of the clash remained unclear at press time, the incident is believed to be linked to an ongoing online feud involving VDM and Mr. Jollof’s wife.
Shortly after the scuffle, VDM posted a video on his Facebook page, claiming he confronted the comedian during the encounter.
“I don chop Jollof father for inside the plane. He bit me, man wey de bite,” he alleged, insisting that Mr. Jollof bit him during the fight.
Efforts to reach both parties were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to their phones were not returned.
Attempts to obtain clarification from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also yielded no immediate response. However, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu stated on social media that the agency is awaiting a formal incident report from the airline.
“I have asked why the airline has not forwarded an incident report, and I am told they are presently in a management meeting. This is normal,” he wrote on X.
He added that NCAA officers in Asaba had been directed to establish what actions were taken by aviation security, the pilots, and other personnel involved.
Achimugu noted that the investigation would cover questions such as how long it took for security to arrive, the duration of the incident, and whether the passengers were detained or released.
He stressed that while the NCAA does not have prosecutorial powers, the agency would advise the airline to blacklist the individuals involved and recommend prosecution to the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police.
