Fuji star Wasiu Alabi, popularly known as Pasuma, has expressed support for his longtime friend and colleague, Wasiu Ayinde, also called K1 De Ultimate.
This follows K1’s public apology to Nigerians over his altercation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, earlier in the week.
Pasuma showed his backing on Friday by reposting K1’s apology video on Instagram.
In his caption, he wrote, “As humans we all bound to make mistakes. It is our remorse and ability to accept our wrongs that makes us grow into better humans. Nigerians, please accept our apology! @kingwasiuayindemarshal.”
According to K1, the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, was “regrettable” and should never have happened.
In his video message, the 68-year-old said, “I take full responsibility for all incidents. Once again, I seek forgiveness from Mr President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who’s also my father and father of the nation, the Honourable Minister for Aviation, the pilot, the airline, the airline staff, passengers, and above all, my fans across the globe, my family, for the incident.”
He added that he had been a good ambassador of the country “in very many ways” and “should not be found in such incidents.”
“I accept responsibility and appeal to Mr President, the country, the Minister for Aviation, the FAAN, the NCAA, and my fans across the globe to please pardon my behaviour. My love for the country is unshakable. I am still the darling ambassador of our nation, and I’ll continue to carry the banner of this great country everywhere all my life. Please accept my apology,” he added.
K1 explained that the dispute stemmed from a container of water, which he described as the “bone of contention.”
In a separate statement, he clarified that he has a medical condition that requires him to stay hydrated and that the flask contained only water from the airport lounge.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Thursday ordered the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to place the Fuji icon on a six-month no-fly list pending a full investigation.
The NCAA also petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to prosecute the singer over the incident.
Keyamo described the matter as “obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides, which could have led to serious fatalities.”
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria accused K1 of attempting to board a ValueJet Airlines flight to Lagos with a liquid-filled flask in violation of aviation rules.
The agency alleged he spilled the liquid on an airline security officer and blocked the aircraft from taxiing.
FAAN spokesperson, Obiageli Orah, said the substance was later identified as alcohol, but K1 insists it was water.
Following the incident, the NCAA suspended two ValueJet pilots, citing a “serious breach of safety protocols.”
Keyamo, in a post on X, wrote, “The issue of whether he was carrying water or alcohol is not even in issue at this point. It is the physical blockage of the aircraft from taxiing that is the reprehensible conduct here, which is akin to a hostage situation.”
He added that no amount of provocation should make a captain or pilot taxi without ensuring that security officers had safely removed an unruly passenger from the aircraft.
