Ibom Air passenger Comfort Emmanson remanded in Lagos correctional facility for assaulting airline officials

Comfort Emmanson, a passenger who assaulted airline officials on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been charged in court.

The special adviser on media and communications to the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Tunde Moshood, in a post on his X social media platform on Monday, August 11, stated that Emmanson has been remanded at the Kirikiri correctional facility.

Moshood’s statement came shortly after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced that enforcement actions would become more frequent in Nigerian airports due to the increasing number of unruly passenger incidents.

He said, “The more reason the flying public should be more careful, the unruly passenger on Uyo-Lagos bound Ibom Air, Miss Comfort Emmanson has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri.”

Ibom Air reported that the incident began just before takeoff from Uyo, when the passenger refused to comply with the standard aviation safety procedure of switching off her mobile phone.

According to the airline, a fellow passenger seated next to her took the phone and turned it off, which prompted a verbal tirade from Emmanson.

Upon arriving in Lagos, the aviation company stated that Emmanson confronted the purser who had given the initial instruction to turn off her phone and physically assaulted her.

This conduct posed a serious threat to the safety of its crew, passengers, and aircraft.

As a result, the domestic carrier has imposed a travel restriction on her, stating that she will no longer be permitted to fly on any of its aircraft.