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VDM, Mr Jollof’ll Face The Law – NCAA
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, has said that social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman (VDM), and comedian activist, Freedom Atsepoyi, widely called Mr. Jollof, will face the full strength of the law, after both were captured fighting each other in a viral video.
There was confusion aboard an Abuja-bound aircraft on Monday when VDM and Mr. Jollof engaged in a physical fight, leaving passengers in shock.
The altercation, captured on video and now circulating online, began as a heated exchange before escalating into a full-blown scuffle.
Cabin crew and frightened passengers hurried to intervene as the two men traded blows inside the packed aircraft.
Reacting to the incident, NCAA director, Achimugu said on his official X account that the organisation is awaiting a report from the airline whose aircraft the celebrities fought on, but both men will certainly face the full length of the law.
He said, “I have asked why the airline has not forwarded an incident report, and I am told that they are presently in a management meeting. This is normal, too. Even abroad.
“What I can assure you is this: the NCAA will do its part. Our officers in Asaba have been tasked to find and report the exact actions taken by aviation security, pilots, and other personnel. This may go beyond just the two passengers. How long did it take for security to arrive? How long did the incident last before the pilot called for security, if he did?
“If the passengers were arrested, are they still in detention? If they were released, why? When all of these are decided, appropriate ramifications would be dished out by the relevant agencies.
“I must note that the NCAA does not have prosecutorial powers. The Authority, as with previous cases, would surely advise the airline to blacklist the passengers and write the AGF and the IGP to prosecute the unruly passengers.”
The NCAA director further stated, “There is no tolerance for unruly behaviour aboard an aircraft. Both individuals will face the full strength of the law. It is even more shameful when one considers both of them partners in educating their millions of followers to avoid unruly behaviour.”
He noted that the NCAA had invested a significant amount of energy and resources in educating passengers about the dangers of unruly behaviour and its consequences.
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.
NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.
Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.
A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.
However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.
The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.