Comfort Emmanson, a passenger accused of assaulting airline officials on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been charged to court and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
The update was confirmed by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, in a post on his official X account on Monday.
According to the airline, the trouble began shortly before take-off from Uyo when Ms. Emmanson was instructed to switch off her mobile phone in line with standard safety procedures. “She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off,” the statement read.
This sparked a verbal tirade, but the situation was calmed and the flight departed as scheduled. However, upon arrival in Lagos, the airline alleged that Ms. Emmanson “walked up to the unsuspecting Purser, stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses and threw it to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her.”
She reportedly slapped another cabin crew member who tried to intervene and “attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon.” The Pilot-in-Command immediately alerted airport security, but before they arrived, the Purser as seen in a viral video prevented her from leaving the aircraft until help came.
Watch video – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNNmiNOq2ir/?igsh=enBwY3NiZDM1dnph
Even the arrival of Ibom Air security personnel did not stop the alleged assault, as Ms. Emmanson attacked them as well. After disembarking, she allegedly continued the attacks, including slapping the ground supervisor.
She was eventually taken into custody by FAAN security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
Ibom Air stated it has reported the matter to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and has placed a travel ban on Ms. Emmanson, permanently restricting her from flying on any of its aircraft.
Her remand follows recent NCAA warnings about stricter enforcement against disruptive passengers, amid a rise in unruly incidents at Nigerian airports.
