Comfort Emmanson, a female passenger involved in a violent altercation aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been charged to court and remanded in Kirikiri Prison. The incident occurred on August 10, 2025, when Emmanson refused to switch off her mobile phone before takeoff, defying standard aviation safety protocols despite warnings from crew members and the pilot.
After the flight landed in Lagos, Emmanson confronted a flight purser, physically assaulting her by slapping her multiple times, stepping on her, tearing off her wig, and removing her glasses, which she threw to the floor. She also attacked other crew members and attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use it as a weapon, potentially endangering the aircraft's safety.
Airport security intervened, but Emmanson continued to assault Ibom Air and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security personnel, including slapping a ground supervisor. She was forcibly removed from the aircraft and taken into custody by airport security before being handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation.
Following the incident, Ibom Air has permanently banned Emmanson from flying with the airline. The airline commended its crew and security personnel for handling the situation professionally and has reported the case to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The NCAA has emphasized strict enforcement actions against unruly passenger behavior in Nigerian airports to ensure passenger and crew safety.
The Special Adviser to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed Emmanson's court charge and remand, highlighting the government's commitment to addressing such disruptions in aviation.
This case underscores rising concerns about passenger misconduct in Nigerian aviation and the reinforced zero-tolerance policy towards any behavior that threatens safety or security on flights.
