By Amofokhai Williams
An Ibom Air passenger, identified as Comfort Emmanson, has been remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos, following a violent on-board altercation during a Uyo-Lagos flight.
The development was confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
He warned: “The more reason the flying public should be more careful. Miss Comfort Emmanson has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri.”
According to Ibom Air, the incident occurred on August 10, 2025, shortly before take-off.
The Alarmee reports that Emmanson allegedly refused repeated instructions to power off her mobile phone during a safety announcement, prompting a verbal confrontation.
Upon arrival in Lagos, she allegedly escalated matters, stepping on a crew member, tearing off her wig, removing her glasses, and using her footwear to strike and slap the purser, before attempting to grab a fire extinguisher in what the airline described as a serious safety threat.
Two crew members and airport security were also assaulted before she was subdued and handed over to authorities.
Ibom Air has imposed a lifetime ban on Emmanson and has submitted a detailed report to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The airline emphasized that her actions endangered the safety of passengers and disrupted cabin operations.
This incident highlights a growing concern within Nigeria’s aviation sector regarding unruly passenger behaviour.
In a similar case from January 2025, a passenger named Chiamaka Don Ubani disrupted a Uyo–Abuja Ibom Air flight by preventing the door from closing due to complaints over luggage, leading to the flight’s cancellation and inconveniencing 89 passengers.
She was charged with obstruction and public nuisance under sections 436 and 196(1)(f) of the Akwa Ibom State Criminal Code, later granted bail and scheduled for court in February 2025.
