Ibom Air has placed a travel ban on Ms. Comfort Emmanson, whose conduct, the airliner said posed a serious threat to the safety of its crew, passengers, and aircraft. She “will no longer be permitted to fly on any” Ibom Air aircraft.
Ms. Emmanson was on Sunday forcefully taken out of the Uyo–Lagos bound Ibom flight after assaulting a passenger and airliner’s staff.
The airliner said Ms. Emmanson had “bluntly refused” to switch off her mobile phone as “instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures,” prompting a fellow passenger to take her phone and “switched it off” after the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement.
“This action (from the fellow) prompted a verbal tirade from Ms. Emmanson. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled,” the airliner stated.
Upon arrival in Lagos, the airliner went on, Ms. Emmanson, after waiting “for all other passengers to disembark” proceeded to confront the Purser who had earlier instructed her, “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.”
According to the statement, 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.”
Prior to the statement by the Ibom Airlines Limited, a lady (later identified as Ms. Comfort Emmanson was seen in video violently confronting airline staff.
In the video, a female voice came on board the aircraft saying: She (referring to Ms. Emmanson) is destroying the aircraft; come and video her.”
Ms. Emmanson was also viewed as slapping a crew member. “She is hitting me,” a crew member said as the passenger violently hit her.
“I will show you something. I will show all of you something,” the passenger said after she was forcefully taken out of the aircraft.
She has been charged to court, Mr Tunde Moshood, Spokesperson to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, disclosed on X, adding that Ms. Emmanson is remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos.
“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,” Mr. Tunde stated.
