By Isah Aliyu Chiroma
Comfort Emmanson, a passenger aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, found herself at the centre of a media storm following a troubling altercation with a flight attendant.
Emmanson’s reactions during this incident illustrated a disturbing lack of adherence to rules in the Nigerian society.
TheNewspad reports that every institution operates under a set of laws and rules and the Ibom Air story call or a thorough investigation into what truly transpired between the passenger and the cabin crew.
A few days earlier, Fuji star, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, also known as KWAM 1, was sanctioned in an incident where he allegedly obstructed the takeoff of a ValueJet aircraft at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. For that, the aviation authorities banned him from flying for six months.
Latest reports said the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has appointed Kwam 1 as an ambassador for aviation security protocol.
But Nigerians are asking what will be left of nation’s moral values’ compass if law breakers suddenly transform to face of compliance.
Similarly, he has recommended Emmanson to the Airline Operators of Nigeria to be appointed as their ambassador for good passenger conduct, having shown remorse for her action.
These actions of the minister raise a troubling question: Does society now reward displays of bad public conduct?
Beyond the airport incidents, customers have been facing serious challenges with the way airlines and other operators in the aviation sector handle customer relations matters.
Stories abound of flight cancellations, mismanagement of luggage, and poor response to customers’ complaints. These are areas that deserve urgent attention than the dramas of Kwam 1 and Emmanson.
The video of the Ibom Air incident that went viral showed that Emmanson reportedly failed to obey simple instructions given by the flight crew that she should switch off her mobile phone during takeoff. That simple act was a grievous violation of aviation protocols designed to ensure passenger safety.
Rather than cooperate with the flight attendants, Emmanson engaged them in a heated verbal exchange, which escalated into a fiasco that was captured in videos that went viral. Security personnel were called in to take her out of the aircraft.
The drama however sparked public outrage and debate about the propriety or otherwise of the actions of the flight crew and the security personnel.
Discussions that followed even extended to in-flight crisis management styles of Ibom Air personnel.
Even the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned Ibom Air’s actions as “reckless, unlawful, and a grave affront to human dignity”. The NBA objected to the lifetime ban on Emmanson from flying with the airline, deeming it excessive and unfair.
The Bar association called for the withdrawal of the lifetime ban on Emmanson from flying and a public apology by Ibom Air to Emmanson.
It also pushed for a thorough independent investigation into the incident to establish the facts of it and apportion blames correctly.
A final intervention by the Aviation Minister however brought to an end the episode as he announced the withdrawal of charges against Emmanson, citing her show of remorse and appeals from concerned individuals.
Emmanson has since regained her freedom, with the AON accepting to lift the lifetime ban on her from flying.
The unfortunate event of Ibom Air may have been put to rest, but the issues it raised are still trending in the public domain.
On the lighter side, Ms. Emmanson has received offers from different men, who have volunteered to host her, pay for her travel trips and place her on monthly salaries. One of them, a businessman and Tech Guru said, “I am offering Miss Comfort Emmanson a free trip to Houston Texas in the United State of America and a whooping $100k as BTA.”
Several perspectives have emerged, principally highlighting concerns about poor handling by the flight crew and the broader culture of hospitality in the aviation industry in Nigeria.
Facebook blogger, Zara Onyinye, stresses the importance of understanding the legal frameworks that govern airline incidents, particularly with regards to the powers of the crew to detain passengers.
She says passengers must understand that their rights do not extend to assaulting crew members or to resist arrest. Passengers have a duty to cooperate with flight crew and airport security.
Onyinye urges passengers dissatisfied with airline services to seek redress through established legal channels. The core message is to be abreast of the laws governing the sector and approach disputes through legal channels.
Nkiruka Ejindu Enyindah says the Ibom Air crew might have wrongly judged Emmanson from her looks and inability to manipulate her phone.
“The airline crew spotted her inadequacies and took advantage of them. This is unfair”, Enyindah.
Public critic, Omoyele Sowore also criticized the treatment Emmanson got from Ibom Air crew, emphasizing that many flight attendants in Nigeria lacked decorous attitude to passengers.
“It baffles me that in 2025, the most important duty for some Nigerian flight attendants still seems to be harassing adults about switching off their phones,” he queries.
He particularly condemned the exposure of private body parts of Emmanson while she was being pulled out of the plane, noting, “the public sexual humiliation this passenger was subjected to… stripped of her dignity in a way that will likely leave lasting trauma”.
Sowore said the initial legal actions taken against Emmanson was “a travesty of justice,” pointing out the discrimination in the legal process, which often favours more powerful individuals.
Another commentator reflected on the crew’s behaviour, stating, that the behaved like ‘Ajegunle touts’.
Sowore and co encouraged Emmanson’s seek legal redress.
Some other people have felt too that Emmanson should have conducted herself better than she did.
“It’s one of the disadvantages of indecent dressing. I feel no pity for her,” said famous writer and feminist, Chimamanda Adichie.
The Ibom Air episode gives a troubling picture of a culture of abuse and humiliation in the aviation sector and raises critical questions about customer service practices. And it calls for improved crisis management and customer relations training among airline staff.
It also calls for better and friendlier enforcement of aviation regulations. Stakeholders must continue to balance the rights of passengers with the imperatives of aviation safety and security.
The outcomes of this incident should inform reforms in the aviation industry, and prompt re-evaluation of practices and policies to ensure such Conflicts are managed more effectively in the future.
In the end, creating a safe and respectful environment for both passengers and crew should remain the paramount goal for all airlines and other stakeholders in the sector.
The rule of law should also be upheld in the sector so that we do not see a situation where people are discriminated against based on their societal status.
If the son of a carpenter commits a crime, he should be given the same treatment as the son of a minister. If there are favours, you cannot have order in any society. There must be sanctions for bad behaviour and rewards for good conduct.
This incident highlights numerous issues in aviation that warrant urgent attention and calls for a fair and respectful approach to disputes within the industry.
