Fuji music legend King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, also known as K1 De Ultimate, has issued an apology regarding a recent incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In a statement he personally signed, K1 expressed regret over the controversy but maintained that a flask he was carrying contained only water, not alcohol as alleged in some reports.
He explained that he suffers from chronic dehydration and carries a water flask on his doctor's advice. K1 stated that the flask was empty during security checks and was only filled with water at the airport lounge before he proceeded to the tarmac.
He also denied claims that he had boarded and been deboarded from the aircraft, saying that his account could be verified with CCTV footage.
K1 tendered an apology to the Presidency, the Ministry of Aviation, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and ValueJet, the airline involved, as well as to Nigerians at large.
He affirmed his commitment to his role as a cultural ambassador for Nigerian music and his patriotism to the country.
The incident, which occurred on August 5, 2025, has led to various accounts from different parties. The NCAA and the Minister of Aviation have confirmed that K1 has been blacklisted from flying on commercial airlines for six months.
They have also stated that the pilot and co-pilot involved have been suspended pending a full investigation. While K1's statement claimed the flask contained water, reports from FAAN had previously alleged that the liquid was alcohol and that K1 had poured it on a security officer.
The Minister of Aviation also stated that K1's physical blocking of the aircraft from taxiing was the most serious breach of conduct.