Rights Group Calls For Legal Action Against Ibom Air

The dramatic scene that unfolded aboard an Ibom Air Uyo–Lagos flight last Sunday continues to reverberate across Nigeria’s aviation sector. At the centre is Comfort Emmanson, who allegedly refused to switch off her mobile phone before take-off, a standard safety protocol, leading to a heated confrontation that escalated into physical assault on a flight attendant and a clash with airport security.

The incident, caught on video and widely circulated online, has led to a lifetime flight ban from Ibom Air and criminal charges that saw Ms Emmanson remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.

Now, new developments are emerging: the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is actively gathering firsthand accounts from passengers, and the Minister of Aviation has ordered disciplinary action over the leak of an indecent clip from the altercation.

Recent Happening

Ibom Air said the trouble began “shortly before take-off from Uyo” when the passenger refused to comply with safety procedures requiring her to switch off her phone. According to the airline, “her conduct posed a serious threat to the safety of its crew, passengers, and aircraft.”

Videos from the flight showed her confronting crew members and later resisting security personnel. She was arraigned on Monday and, after failing to provide sureties, remanded in prison custody.

What NCAA Is Saying

The NCAA has opened a fact-finding investigation and is seeking passenger testimonies.
Mike Achimugu, the authority’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said:

“In the interest of justice and fairness, it is necessary to hear both sides of the story.”

He added that while unruly conduct “will not be excused,” the agency is determined to ensure “every other person who was culpable down the line is held accountable.”

Achimugu described the matter as “a test for the system” and stressed:

“At the end of it all, the message remains the same- in aviation, it is safety first, safety second, and safety third.”

What The Minister Of Aviation Is Saying

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that Ms Emmanson was arraigned before the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on criminal charges. While condemning her actions, he also criticised the leaking of a video showing her upper body exposed.

“Whilst we support the filming of her recalcitrant behaviour as evidence to prosecute her, what is deplorable is to release such evidence containing indecent exposure to the public to ridicule her. That is totally unacceptable to us,” Keyamo said.

The minister has ordered sanctions against the Ibom Air staff involved in the leak and directed airlines to improve training for staff in conflict management. He also emphasised that passengers have proper channels for complaints:

“For genuinely aggrieved passengers, there are clearly laid-down remedies to address grievances… There is no point trying to take the laws into one’s hands that may lead to dire consequences.”

Rights Group Calls For Legal Action Against Ibom Air

A non-governmental organisation, De-Advocates for Justice, has urged Comfort Emmanson, to sue Ibom Air for alleged violations of her fundamental rights to dignity.

In a statement signed by its president, Comrade Israel Joe, the group condemned what it described as “oppression” and “lawless” treatment, arguing that the airline’s handling of the incident was both morally and legally unacceptable.

“The Ibom Air acted very wrongly both in morality and in the eyes of the law. Their actions amounted to killing a mosquito with a sledgehammer,” Joe said.

The group criticised the decision to impose a lifetime flight ban before any court ruling, questioned the use of male security officers during her arrest, and condemned the public release of video footage showing her partially exposed.

“No matter how one tries to defend the suppression done to this lady, there is no justification for dragging her with male security, tearing her clothes, and posting the video online,” the statement read.

De-Advocates for Justice said the situation could have been handled more professionally, such as allowing female officers to make the arrest at the arrival point, without violating her privacy and dignity.

Who Is Comfort Emmanson

Little is publicly known about Comfort Emmanson beyond the events of the past week.
Her refusal to comply with a basic safety instruction has now resulted in legal charges, a lifetime ban from Ibom Air, and nationwide attention.

The case has also triggered broader industry conversations on passenger behaviour, staff training, and operational protocols in Nigeria’s aviation sector.