Social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), and comedian Freedom Atsepoyi, known as Mr Jollof, may face criminal charges after a physical altercation on a United Nigeria Airlines flight on Monday.
The confrontation occurred on the Asaba–Lagos route and reportedly escalated from a verbal argument into a fistfight. A viral video showed flight attendants and passengers rushing to separate the two men as they exchanged blows.
VDM later posted a video on Facebook claiming he confronted and fought Mr Jollof during the incident.
While the cause of the dispute is still unknown, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority strongly condemned the behaviour. Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said the pair violated aviation safety regulations and would face sanctions.
He stressed that unruly conduct on board an aircraft is unacceptable and poses a threat to passengers, crew members, and the aircraft itself. Achimugu added that the airline is expected to file an official report, after which regulatory and legal actions will follow.
Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Act 2022 criminalises violent behaviour on a flight. Under Section 84, such actions attract a fine of at least N2 million or up to five years in prison. Section 85 also penalises interference with crew members’ duties with fines of up to N200,000 or a minimum two-month jail term.
United Nigeria Airlines confirmed the incident, stating that both men were immediately deboarded and handed over to airport security. The airline emphasised its zero-tolerance stance on behaviour that threatens safety and noted that the flight later departed without further issues.
The clash is believed to be an extension of a long-running online feud between the two influencers. The aviation sector has recently seen several cases of unruly passengers, raising concerns among stakeholders.
In August 2025, Fuji star KWAM 1 was involved in a heated altercation during ValueJet boarding procedures, while in another case, a passenger was removed from an Ibom Air flight after physically attacking a crew member.
Both VDM and Mr Jollof may now face fines, prosecution, or imprisonment depending on the NCAA’s final decision.
