Social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VDM, has issued a public apology after his altercation with comedian Freedom Atsepoyi, widely known as Mr Jollof, disrupted a United Nigeria Airlines flight on Monday.
The confrontation, which unfolded onboard the aircraft before departure, led to delays that affected passengers with varying commitments.
In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, Otse admitted wrongdoing and accepted responsibility for the incident, stressing that the confrontation should never have occurred in a public setting.
He described his conduct as avoidable and said he was aware of the inconvenience the clash caused other passengers.
“I would really like to apologise for what happened yesterday on the United Nigerian Airlines,” he said. “What happened yesterday was not supposed to happen, and I will take full responsibility for it.”
He expressed particular concern for passengers whose schedules may have been disrupted as a result of the delay.
According to him, some may have missed medical appointments, business engagements or other important obligations because of what he termed his “little irresponsibility.”
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Otse also extended apologies to passengers across all age groups — “the mothers, the daddies, the uncles, the younger ones” — as well as the pilot, cabin crew and airline officials who were forced to manage the unfolding altercation.
He noted that, despite social media reactions that framed the incident as entertainment, his behaviour fell short of the standard expected in public spaces.
“Looking back at what happened yesterday, I really didn’t like that part. Even though some people saw everything as a cruise on social media, I acted irresponsibly,” he added.
While VDM refrained from promising that such confrontations would never happen again, he insisted that incidents of that nature would not occur in environments where they could disrupt people’s movement or safety.
He stated: “I cannot guarantee that it will not happen again. I can only guarantee that it will not happen on the plane, on the bus or in a public place that will stop people from going to their destination.”
VDM and Mr Jollof may face criminal charges over the dispute, which authorities described as a potential case of disorderly conduct aboard an aircraft — a serious offence under aviation regulations.
Otse ended his message by expressing remorse once again and thanking Nigerians who called for restraint and accountability following the incident.
Punch
