Ibom Air passenger arrested, receives lifetime ban for assaulting cabin crew
Abdullateef Fowewe
Ibom Air has on Monday confirmed a serious security incident involving a passenger on its Uyo-Lagos flight on Sunday, August 10, 2025.
The airline released a detailed account of the events, which began shortly before take-off when the passenger, Comfort Emmanson refused to comply with routine safety instructions.
Ibom Air in a statement on Monday noted that Emmanson was instructed “in line with standard aviation safety procedures, to switch off her mobile phone.”
However, she “bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement,” prompting a fellow passenger to take her phone and switch it off.
This sparked a verbal tirade from Emmanson, but the situation was initially calmed and the flight proceeded as scheduled.
The incident escalated upon the plane’s arrival in Lagos.
Emmanson confronted the Purser who had earlier asked her to turn off her phone.
The airline stated that she “walked up to the unsuspecting Purser, 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 also “slapped her several times,” and when another crew member attempted to intervene, Emmanson slapped her as well.
The situation worsened when the passenger “attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.”
The Pilot-in-Command had alerted airport security by this time. Despite the arrival of security and Ibom Air personnel, Emmanson “attacked them as well, lashing out violently.”
She was eventually restrained and removed from the aircraft, but continued to assault security staff and the ground supervisor afterward.
Emmanson was taken into custody by FAAN security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
Ibom Air has submitted a full report to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and imposed a permanent travel ban on her, stating she “will no longer be permitted to fly on any of our aircraft.”
The airline emphasised its “zero-tolerance policy towards any form of unruly or violent conduct” and vowed that such behaviour “will be met with the strongest possible response, including legal action and permanent restriction from our services.”
In closing, Ibom Air “commends the bravery and professionalism of our crew in handling this situation under extremely challenging circumstances,” and praised the “swift support from airport security and the Nigeria Police.”
The airline reiterated that “safety remains our highest priority,” urging all passengers to “comply with crew instructions at all times for the safety, security, and comfort of everyone on board.”
