Popular Nigerian comedian, Freedom Atsepoyi, widely known as Mr. Jollof, has issued a formal public apology following a physical altercation he had with social media personality Martins Otse, alias VeryDarkMan (VDM), aboard a commercial flight earlier this week.
The brawl occurred on a United Nigeria Airlines flight traveling from Asaba to Lagos on Monday, an event confirmed by a viral video that showed the two public figures exchanging blows inside the aircraft cabin, causing chaos among alarmed passengers and crew.
In a video posted on his Instagram page today, Mr. Jollof expressed deep regret for the disruption and delay caused by the incident.
Mr. Jollof’s Statement: “I want to use this medium to sincerely apologise to the NCAA, United Nigeria Airlines, and the passengers that boarded the airline. I was only defending myself… I am very sorry if I delayed your appointment. This isn’t my kind of person. It will never happen again.”
The comedian, who also apologized to his family and employer, insisted that he was acting in self-defense during the fracas—a claim that contrasts with VDM’s social media posts where he claimed to have initiated the confrontation and “dealt with” the comedian.
Both individuals were immediately deboarded by the United Nigeria Airlines crew and handed over to airport security, ensuring the flight could depart safely. The incident has drawn a strong rebuke from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection emphasized that there is zero-tolerance for unruly behaviour on any aircraft and warned that both VDM and Mr. Jollof will face the “full strength of the law,” which could include hefty fines or criminal prosecution, setting a precedent against disruptive conduct in the Nigerian airspace.
