Will VDM and Mr Jollof face jail for in-flight fight? 

Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), and media personality Freedom Okpetoritse Atsepoyi, popularly called Mr Jollof, could face serious legal consequences following their mid-air altercation on a commercial flight.

A video circulating online shows the two men grappling in the aircraft as fellow passengers attempted to intervene. Reports indicate the fight started before take-off. One person recording the incident asked, “Who started it?” and another off-camera responded, “It was Mr Jollof.” Passengers can be heard pleading with both men to stop.

VDM later posted a video after landing, explaining that the clash stemmed from weeks of online exchanges with Mr Jollof. Seeing him in person on the flight, he said, “Today, you will slap me,” referring to the tension from their online interactions. VDM added that Mr Jollof punched him first, and the scuffle escalated when Mr Jollof bit him, nearly damaging his tattoo.

While the incident has attracted attention on social media, authorities have yet to comment. But under Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Act, 2022, physical violence on a flight is a criminal offence.

Section 84 criminalises acts of violence that could endanger the aircraft’s safety, with penalties including a minimum fine of ₦2,000,000 or up to five years’ imprisonment, or both.

Section 85 covers “assault or intimidation of crew members” and “unruly behaviour,” with penalties of up to ₦200,000 or a minimum of two months’ imprisonment, or both.

If prosecuted under these provisions, VDM and Mr Jollof could face substantial fines and jail time, depending on how authorities assess the severity of the altercation.

As of now, neither the airline, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), nor the parties involved have issued a public statement