Comfort Emmanson, the passenger at the centre of the high-profile altercation with Ibom Air crew, has publicly apologised while also demanding accountability and respect for passenger dignity in Nigerian aviation.
In a statement, Emmanson acknowledged that she could have handled herself better during the August 10 incident aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos.
“Airplanes are safety-critical environments, and crew instructions matter. If my words or actions contributed to disorder on board, I am sorry for that. I do not condone violence. I am cooperating fully with any fair process that seeks the truth,” she wrote.
The confrontation began after a disagreement over phone use against safety procedures. Emmanson admitted that while she attempted to switch her device to flight mode, the exchange with a crew member “became tense and, sadly, escalated.”
Ibom Air and several media reports had accused her of physically assaulting a crew member before she was forcefully removed from the flight. Emmanson, however, described the situation differently, alleging that she was “provoked, intimidated, and singled out” during the exchange.
She further alleged that a crew member threatened her during the confrontation, saying, “An eyewitness who sat beside me later told the media that a crew member ‘threatened to deal with’ me during the exchange. I felt provoked, intimidated, and singled out. That does not excuse raised voices or any contact, but it is part of what happened.”
According to her statement, the incident worsened after the flight landed. She claimed she was forcibly removed, restrained, and exposed while being filmed.
“In the struggle, my clothing was disheveled, leaving me exposed while being filmed. No one deserves to be treated without dignity — even in conflict,” she said.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had earlier condemned her maltreatment, describing the filming and exposure as a violation of her dignity.
Following the incident, Emmanson was taken into custody and remanded. She was discharged on August 13 after the Federal Government ordered the withdrawal of the case against her.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had initially imposed a lifetime ban preventing her from flying with Nigerian carriers. However, after the government’s intervention and review, the ban was lifted.
“A lifetime ‘no-fly’ ban was announced at first; as of today, multiple outlets report that airlines have lifted the lifetime ban following the review by authorities. I appreciate this step toward fairness,” she noted.
In the statement, Emmanson called for a balanced review of the events and stronger protections for passengers.
“What I cannot accept is the indignity and public shaming that followed… I’m asking for clear guidelines that protect safety and the dignity of passengers, including strict prohibitions on filming or exposing restrained individuals,” she said.
She urged civility on all sides, adding, “I will speak with investigators in good faith. I ask the public to allow the process to work and to avoid threats or harassment toward anyone involved.”
Emmanson expressed gratitude to her supporters, writing, “Thank you to my family, friends, legal team, and Nigerians who insisted that safety and human dignity can — and must — coexist. I’m healing and I’m hopeful. I will share more when the formal processes conclude.”
