A female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, has been remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos after assaulting Ibom Air crew members and clashing with airport security at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday aboard an Uyo–Lagos Ibom Air flight, has drawn widespread attention after videos of the confrontation went viral.
Tunde Moshood, spokesperson to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the development on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“The more reason the flying public should be more careful — the unruly passenger on the Uyo-Lagos bound Ibom Air, Miss Comfort Emmanson, has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri.”
According to Ibom Air, trouble began shortly before take-off from Uyo when Emmanson refused repeated instructions to switch off her mobile phone. She only complied after the pilot made a public announcement and a fellow passenger switched off the device.
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This sparked an angry outburst from Emmanson. Upon arrival in Lagos, she allegedly waited for other passengers to disembark before confronting the flight purser. The airline said she stepped on the purser, tore off her wig, removed her glasses, slapped her repeatedly, and used her footwear to assault her.
When another cabin crew member intervened, she allegedly slapped her as well and attempted to remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, a move the airline warned could have damaged the aircraft.
The Pilot-in-Command had alerted airport security, but before they arrived, the purser prevented Emmanson from leaving the aircraft. Ibom Air security personnel were also attacked upon arrival, with Emmanson reportedly lashing out violently at both airline and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) staff.
Even after being removed from the aircraft, she allegedly continued her assault, slapping the airline’s ground supervisor before being taken into custody by FAAN security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force.
Ibom Air says it has filed a report with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and placed a permanent travel ban on Emmanson.
News Access NG will continue to monitor this case as it progresses in court.
