By Obinna Uballa
Ibom Airlines Limited has imposed a lifetime travel ban on a passenger, identified as Comfort Emmanson, after she physically assaulted members of its cabin crew in what the airline described as a serious safety and security breach.
The incident, captured in a viral video, showed Emmanson repeatedly slapping a Purser on board an Ibom Air flight after being asked to switch off her phone prior to take-off.
In a statement issued on Monday, the airline said the confrontation occurred on Sunday aboard its Uyo-to-Lagos flight.
“Shortly before take-off from Uyo, Ms. Emmanson was instructed, in line with standard aviation safety procedures, to switch off her mobile phone,” the statement read. “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.”
According to Ibom Air, this sparked a “verbal tirade” from Emmanson. Although the situation was calmed and the flight departed as scheduled, events took a violent turn upon arrival in Lagos.
The airline said Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark before confronting the Purser who had given her the safety instruction. She allegedly stepped on her, tore off her wig, removed her glasses, threw them to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her.
The passenger also allegedly slapped the Purser several times and struck another crew member who tried to intervene.
Ibom Air further alleged that she attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon — an act the airline described as an “intention to damage and ground the aircraft.”
According to the airline statemen, the Pilot-in-Command promptly alerted airport security. “Before security could arrive, the Purser, as seen on the viral video, prevented the passenger from leaving the aircraft. Even the arrival of Ibom Air security personnel did not deter her – she attacked them too, lashing out violently. She was restrained and removed from the aircraft by force.
“Even after disembarking, she continued to assault security personnel and slapped the ground supervisor,” the airline recounted.
The New Diplomat reports that Emmanson was eventually taken into custody by Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
The airline said it has filed a report with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and placed an indefinite travel ban on Emmanson. “She will no longer be permitted to fly on any of our aircraft,” the statement said, adding that the crew’s “bravery and professionalism” in handling the situation was commendable.
The Ibom Air case is the latest in a string of unruly passenger incidents in the Nigerian aviation industry in recent time.
Recall that just last week, a controversy erupted after popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, also known as Kwam 1, was accused of obstructing an airline during a disagreement on a Lagos-bound flight.
Although details of that incident remain disputed, it sparked renewed public debate on the rising cases of flight altercations and the need for stricter enforcement of passenger conduct rules.
Aviation analysts note that such incidents pose significant safety risks, not only to airline staff but also to other passengers.
