I’m Still In Pain, Freed Ibom Air Passenger Emmanson Says

The Ibom Air passenger recently released from custody, Comfort Emmanson, has said that she is still in pains following the altercation that took place the day she travelled.

Emmanson took to her social media to thank her supporters and described her post-release condition.
It was also gathered that following the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), the six-month ban on K1 was reduced to one month. At the same time, Emmanson was released through the same process.

Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami of the Lagos State Magistrate Court, sitting in Ogba, Lagos State, discharged Emmanson, accused of unruly behaviour and assault aboard the airline.
Salami discharged Emmanson yesterday after the police, through their prosecutor, Inspector Oluwabunmi Adeitan, withdrew the five charges against her.

At the resumed hearing of Emmanson’s case, Adeitan told the court that he had been instructed by the commissioner of police, Lagos Airport Command, to withdraw the case based on new developments.
The decision to resolve the matter out of court came following interventions from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN).

The minister has announced that “all parties had agreed to resolve the matter after consultations with key stakeholders in the aviation sector.”

But in a statement posted on her Instagram page on Wednesday, Emmanson (#soft_commy), said she was still “in pains due to how I was treated” and required medical attention before she could share her complete account of the incident.

The complete statement from her Instagram page reads, “Thank you so much for the prayers, love and support. I’ve been released from prison, but I’m still in pain due to how I was treated.

“I just need some rest and medical treatment before giving out my version of the event. Thank you so much, my lovely friends and supporters. I appreciate y’all from the bottom of my heart. God bless you all. Thank you, my great God!!!”

The incident occurred on August 10, 2025, when Emmanson allegedly refused to follow safety instructions to turn off her mobile phone before takeoff, resulting in a confrontation with the flight crew.
Upon landing in Lagos, she reportedly assaulted the purser, removed her wig, and attacked security personnel, which led to her arrest and a lifetime flight ban imposed by airline operators in Nigeria.

However, a Facebook user, Ossai Ovie Success, who hails from Delta State, has offered Emmanson a complimentary trip to Delta State, known as the Big Heart and Home of Global Tourism Hub.
Success, the founder of Delta Social Media Summit, said he also offered her a job opportunity with a monthly salary of N500,000 secured in Delta State.

“All expenses, including flight tickets, accommodation in a five-star hotel, and tour costs, will be fully covered including a ticket to attend the Delta Social Media Summit on August 28th in Asaba,” he posted, adding, “I’d like to extend an invitation for her to visit Delta State and unwind after her release from Kirikiri prison. If you’re in touch with her, please ask her to DM me. She won’t be disappointed as I will be giving her a good time.”

NCAA Withdraws Criminal Complaints Against K1

Meanwhile, in the same post, Keyamo also confirmed that the NCAA had withdrawn its criminal complaints against Kwam 1 after he publicly demonstrated remorse for his conduct.

He said the decisions were part of broader measures to ensure aviation safety, recognise penitence, and promote public awareness of proper conduct in Nigeria’s airports.

He said, “The above decisions were taken by the government and the airline operators purely on compassionate grounds, as the government will never pander to base sentiments, politically motivated views, or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws is involved.

“We are also sending a clear message that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously, and we have decided to draw a line after these clemencies,” Keyamo said.

But a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has faulted the Federal Government’s handling of the case against Fuji Star, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, over his recent conduct at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He argued that the government, by hastily accepting his apology and granting him a pardon without allowing the police to conclude their investigation, had lost the moral right to prosecute any unruly passenger who commits an offence at any of the nation’s airports.