•Suspect in Kirikiri, airline operators place indefinite flight ban 

•Obi condemns double standard by security agencies

•Keyamo: Person who released video of stripped lady will be sanctioned 

•Nigerian online respondents ignore real issues, discuss culprit’s anatomy

•Co-passenger alleges Emmanson was ‘held hostage ‘ by airline staff

•Nigeria’s first aviation prof says country risks sanctions

Emmanuel Addeh, Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Barely one week after renowned Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as Kwam1, tried to stop an Abuja-Lagos flight operated by ValueJet from taking off, a similar disruption happened on Ibom Air’s Uyo-Lagos flight Q9 303 on Sunday.

The incident involved one Ms. Comfort Emmanson, who was said to have refused to abide by  safety regulations by switching off her phone before take-off of the flight from Uyo, and also beating up the cabin crew on arrival of the flight in Lagos.

However, Emmanson has been sent to Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State, following her arraignment by the police, while the Airline operators of Nigeria (AON), has placed an indefinite flight on her.

Ibom Air maintained that Emmanson’s conduct posed a serious threat to the safety of its crew, passengers, and aircraft.

In a statement signed by the airline management, Ibom Air stated that shortly before take-off from Uyo, Emmanson was instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures, to switch off her mobile phone.

“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. This action prompted a verbal attack from Ms. Emmanson, but the situation eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled,” it added.

The airline disclosed that upon arrival in Lagos, Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront the Purser (head of cabin crew) who had earlier instructed her to switch off her phone.

“She 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 slapped her several times and when the other cabin crew member tried to intervene, she slapped her too. She then attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.

“By this time, the Pilot-in-Command had alerted airport security. Before security could arrive, the Purser as seen on the viral video on the internet, prevented the passenger from leaving the aircraft until security arrived. The arrival of Ibom Air Security personnel, did not deter the passenger, as she attacked them as well, lashing out violently at the security personnel.

“She was then restrained and removed from the aircraft by force. Even after disembarking, she continued to assault Ibom Air security personnel, and even slapped the ground supervisor,” the airline stated.

All these were captured in videos that have since gone viral on social media.

According to Ibom Air, the passenger was removed from the ramp and taken into custody by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security (AVSEC) and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.

The airline said it has since submitted a report on the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and placed a travel restriction on Emmanson, whom it said  will no longer be permitted to fly on any of its aircraft.

“Ibom Air reiterates its zero-tolerance policy towards any form of unruly or violent conduct that threatens the safety of passengers, crew, or equipment. Such behavior will be met with the strongest possible response, including legal action and permanent restriction from our services.

“We commend the bravery and professionalism of our crew in handling this situation under extremely challenging circumstances, as well as the swift support from airport security and the Nigeria Police. Safety remains our highest priority.

“We urge all passengers to comply with crew instructions at all times for the safety, security, and comfort of everyone on board,” the airline also said.

NCAA Reacts

Reacting to the incident, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, said that travelers cannot continue to refuse to comply with safety regulations because safety is for everyone.

He said there should be more deterrent measures against unruly passengers to discourage such incidents that have become a habit in Nigeria among travelers, insisting that passengers cannot disobey the rules in Nigeria which they humbly obey abroad.

Achimugu said the regulatory authority will have to devise punitive measures to curtail the flagrant abuse of regulations by passengers in air travel in Nigeria.

“We cannot continue to refuse to comply with air travel regulations. Safety is for all. We need to improve the speed/quality of response to unruly passenger behaviour and other security situations at the airports. You cannot disobey rules in Nigeria that you obey abroad.

“Robust ramifications and enforcement actions will become the order of the day. More sensitisation and passenger responsibility education will be done, but we all have a responsibility to do what is right. All (aviation) agencies need to look inward and tighten up loose ends,” Achimugu said in a post he made on X concerning the incident.

Culprit Sent to Prison

However, THISDAY learnt that Emmanson was sent to Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State following her arraignment by the police.

This was disclosed by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Tunde Moshood.

After she was arrested at the tarmac of the domestic terminal, MMA2, she was first taken to the police station at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and later to the police station located at Beesam, which is a bigger facility. It was from there she was finally taken to Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

Video evidence showed that Emmanson did not show any contrition; rather, she continued to fight Aviation Security officials who arrested her, even while she was in the bus conveying her from the airport to the police stations.

She dragged one AVSEC official closer to herself where she was sitting down in the Toyota Coaster bus and tore his top, as he was struggling to free himself from her and at the same time avoiding any physical confrontation with her.

While on the tarmac, she also attacked the ground crew of Ibom Air and Aviation Security personnel.

“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,” Moshood said.

AON Condemns Unruly Behaviour

Meanwhile, AON has condemned the unruly behavior of the passenger and has announced that she will be banned from flights operated by Nigerian commercial airlines indefinitely because of her unscrupulous action.

In a statement signed by the spokesman of AON who is also the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, AON said: “We condemn the violent incident involving Ms. Comfort Emmanson, a passenger on Ibom Air flight Q9 303 from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025.

“We reviewed the detailed statement issued by Ibom Air regarding the incident and we commend the airline for its swift and professional handling of this unfortunate event and fully endorse the actions taken.

“The incident which Ibom Air described, from the initial refusal by the passenger to comply with safety instructions regarding mobile phone usage which led to the brutal physical assault on Ibom Air crew members and the attempted use of a fire extinguisher as a weapon, constitutes one of the most severe cases of unruly passenger behaviour witnessed this year,” the organisation said.

The airline operators also noted that her action was not just disruptive but a sustained, violent attack that placed the lives of crew, passengers, and the integrity of the aircraft itself at risk.

“This behaviour is unacceptable. Therefore, effective immediately, the AON has placed Ms. Emmanson on its ‘No Fly’ list indefinitely. She is hereby banned from flying with any AON member either domestically or internationally for life.

“Such incidents have become one too many with the most recent being the incident involving Nigerian musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) on ValueJet and the unruly behaviour of Senator Adams Oshiomhole towards the members of staff of Air Peace,” the statement said.

AON also called the attention of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to review the efficiency and rule of engagement of its security operatives, AVSEC.

“It is also worth mentioning that this incident exposes the vulnerabilities in the security response by the Aviation Security (AVSEC). The AON urgently calls on FAAN to immediately review and tighten security procedures at all airports across the country,” AON urged.

The operators also said they stand united with Ibom Air and all its members in maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards unruly airline passengers.

“Going forward, anyone who exhibits such behaviour will suffer similar consequences. While we recognise the rights of passengers to express their grievances, such actions must follow due process. We are committed to protecting our employees, passengers, equipment and to maintain the highest safety standards,” the operators added.

Peter Obi Flays Double Standard

In a reaction to the episode, a former Governor of Anambra state and Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, who condemned the action of the passenger, however flayed the double standard meted on Emmanson and previous persons who breached the rules.

“The unfortunate and dishonourable drama witnessed in Ibom Air has again brought to the fore the double standards in our lives and the inadequacies of our various security operatives in acting decently and in a civilised manner,” he stated.

While apologising to the Ibom Air crew who were assaulted by Emmanson, Obi stated that as a society, Nigerians must learn and uphold good conduct, as it is a true measure of success and decent living.

“However, I must equally strongly condemn the dehumanising treatment meted out to this young woman. Stripping her publicly was not only unnecessary but also represents the height of rascality and abuse by our agencies.

“It is unacceptable that she was hurriedly taken to court and remanded, while someone who visibly held a plane from taking off and put hundreds of lives at risk is still at large, with government agencies and some state officials speaking up for him to be forgiven.

“This case is not just about one young woman, it is about the double standards that poison our justice system. Justice in Nigeria must never be about who is poor or powerless versus who has influence or access to government officials.

“While Ms. Comfort Emmanson is in jail, the other offender who committed a more severe offence has not been held to the same standard. He has neither been arrested nor arraigned in any court.

“We must build a country where justice is fair, equal, and not selective, especially against women who are seen to be weaker. This young lady’s offence does not compare to the crimes committed daily by those parading themselves as ‘excellencies’ while looting public funds without consequence, and yet they have not been stripped or dehumanised in the name of justice,” he maintained.

Obi therefore called for an end to the selective treatment of the poor or less privileged, insisting that if justice must be served, it should be served to all, and must be served fairly.

“The Minister of Aviation and other relevant authorities owe the public an explanation for these double standards in their adjudication. Justice must be just, or it is nothing at all. The rule of law based on justice for all must remain the guidepost of our democracy,” he emphasised.

Keyamo: Person Who Leaked Video of Stripped Lady Will Be Sanctioned

Also yesterday, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo,  expressed strong condemnation over the release of an indecent footage featuring the young woman.

In a statement, the minister said he had instructed that the person responsible for leaking the compromising segment of the video be identified and appropriately sanctioned.

“Apart from the indefinite flight ban imposed on the said unruly passenger (both local and international) by the NCAA, the police has promptly arraigned her this morning at the Ikeja Magistrates Court for criminal offences and remanded her at Kirikiri prison as she could not provide adequate sureties in court. I have attached the Charge Sheet and Remand Order for clarity.

“We also note the scuffle that took place between the unruly passenger and ground personnel before she was eventually subdued. This was because of her uncooperative attitude. 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. We will not fold our arms and tolerate the debasing of womanhood. I have therefore directed that whoever released that part of the video containing the indecent exposure amongst the staff should be singled out and adequately sanctioned.

“I have also directed that the airlines must continue to train and retrain their staff in public relations and how to deal with potentially explosive situations in order to diffuse them promptly or nip them in the bud, except when it becomes inevitable.

“I have also directed a joint security meeting between relevant agencies next week for better coordination of security measures in situations like this or similar ones we witnessed recently,” the minister added.

Co-Passenger Claims Emmanson Was Held Hostage

But one Tunde A. Ibrahim, who claimed to have been on board at the time the incident happened, alleged that Ibom Air employees held the young lady hostage.

Besides, Ibrahim, in a post that has now gone viral, stated that Emmanson was resisted from alighting from the plane despite spirited efforts, stressing that this was what led to the physical altercation.

“I was on board. It was the crew member that resisted the lady from coming down because of put off phone and no put off phone (sic).

“The lady told the crew that her phone was already on flight mode. After landing they refused to allow the lady from coming down saying they have called the airport security to pick her up. Infact they pushed the lady back on seat for many of us to pass,” he stated.

This was confirmed by one of the videos which emanated from the incident, where the lady was seen urging the flight attendants allow her to disembark without success until the situation spiralled out of hand.

Reno Omokri: Obi Politicising Every Issue

But a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu, Reno Omokri, accused Obi of politicising every issue, stressing that the former presidential candidate has the habit of selecting people who are not of Igbo origin for targeted vilification.

“Peter, must you politicise everything? Insinuating that King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, AKA K1 De Ultimate, ‘visibly held a plane from taking off and put hundreds of lives at risk is still at large’ is a blatant lie!

“K1 De Ultimate’s actions were wrong, and he apologised for them. However, he never ‘put hundreds of lives at risk’.  The ValueJet flight was never in any physical danger from King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall.

“Rather, it was K1 De Ultimate whose life was at risk when the pilot of that ValueJet flight did not follow aviation safety rules and proceeded to take off while there were persons on the runway, either because she did not see K1 De Ultimate from the cockpit, or for some other reason.

“Your habit of selecting people who are not of Igbo origin, like you, for targeted vilification, is becoming unbearably unbecoming,” Omokri added.

He argued that Emmanson may or may not have had grounds for her behaviour, but that the fact remains that she resisted lawful authority in NCAA and FAAN staff and was violent.

Nigeria’s Online Community Discuss Lady’s Anatomy

But in a twist, Nigeria’s online community sought to make light of the issue, rather choosing to focus on the ‘firmness’ of the young lady’s mammary gland, which was exposed while she was being dragged out of the airplane.

The decision to focus on Emmanson’s breasts in the middle of a serious discussion was seen as a jarring and misplaced detour that tended to strip the moment of its gravity as well as reduce a weighty matter to a spectacle and shifting attention from the substance of the issue to a personal, objectifying angle.

“Mark my words ! Comfort Emmanson, the Girl that attacked the Ibom Air Hostess will walk free in no distant time. Her breast is her leverage! Na naija we dey ! A twitter user, st majoraa wrote.

“Breast wey Bobos suppose dey enjoy, na so this one wan carry am go jail. Another user, prettynellyenu said. “Ladies, please always wear a bra when going out, she could have saved herself from this embarrassment smh!, the respondent added

Also, _ekereke wrote: “How can she get clients if she wears a bra?”, while mandala441 wrote “ Omo hand never touch this breast ooh”.

 Atiku’s Aide Wants K1 Arraigned

On his part, spokesman to Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, Ibe who said the international aviation body was watching how the federal government was handling the Kwam 1 incident, noted that it was still a surprise that he was “not bundled out of the tarmac”.

“The assault of Ibom Air crew and airport security officials on Sunday by an Ibom Air passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson is the reason why we need to deliberate about nipping bad behaviour in the bud. There’s a temptation to hail the airport security officials for acting swiftly and removing the unruly passenger from the aircraft and the tarmac.

“But the question arises: Why was KWAM 1 also not bundled out of the tarmac in the same manner when he, in a hostage-taking manner, obstructed ValueJet Airline operations in Abuja last week? Maybe it was because Comfort is not a friend of the President.

“This is the reason why the authorities should have made an example of KWAM 1 to avert copycats like passenger Comfort from breeding a KWAM 2 scenario. The question is, when will KWAM 1 be arraigned in court along with Comfort? The world, especially the international aviation body, is watching,” Atiku’s spokesman stated.

Aviation Professor Intervenes

Also speaking, the first Professor of Aviation Law in Nigeria, Ismail Mustapha warned that, the federal government risks sanctions if it accepts the apology of the popular musician.

Mustapha  stated this in Ilorin while speaking with journalists on the state of the aviation industry in the country.

“Consequently, some international flights may desert Nigerian airspace for lack of civil aviation security,” he said.

He stated that Nigeria, as a party to the international civil aviation laws including Annex 17 to Chicago Convention 1944 has an obligation to prosecute and severely punish any suspect found guilty of the offence(s).

He  added that similar provisions were included in the NCAA Act 2022 (sec. 50) and NCARs 2023 (Part 17).

“From the incident of 6/8/25 at the local wing terminal of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, the suspect must be prosecuted for the following offences; attempted hijacking and taking of hostages of passengers  contrary to section 83 of NCAA Act 2022, Art. 1 of the 1979 Taking of hostages and 2010 Beijing Convention respectively.

“The offences are punishable under section 86 (3) to wit; N25m and life imprisonment, assault and violence conduct committed against the pilot and security officer contrary to section 84(3)(a) NCAA Act 2022 punishable under sec. 83 (3)(b) to wit; at least N2m or at least 5 years imprisonment, and refusal to submit for screening contrary to sections 42 and 45 of the NCAA Act 2022 and Part 17 NCAA Act 2023 punishable under section 45 (3) of the Act 2022.”

Mustapha pointed out that it was obvious that the suspect had unlawfully interfered with Nigerian civil aviation by breaching the Aviation security screening procedures, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

“As stated earlier, it is an obligation for Nigeria to prosecute (aut dedere) any person found wanting or who breached aviation security procedures or unlawfully interfered with civil aviation.

“Failure to comply will amount to breach of agreement signed with the  international conventions and treaties including Annex 17 to Chicago Convention 1944. Further, failure to prosecute will amount to allowing continuous insecurity of Nigerian Civil Aviation. It will also amount to non-implementation of Nigerian Civil Aviation Laws.

“It should also be noted that the hard earned Grade A status may be withdrawn. Consequently, some international flights may desert Nigerian airspace for lack of civil aviation security,” he argued.

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