Ibom Air passenger, Comfort Emmanson apologises over clash with airline crew, tells her story

Comfort Emmanson, the woman at the centre of the widely publicised clash with Ibom Air crew, has broken her silence, apologising for her conduct while also insisting that passengers in Nigeria’s aviation sector deserve better treatment and respect.

 

In a statement released on Saturday, Emmanson admitted she could have handled herself better during the August 10 incident on 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 said.

 

The altercation reportedly started over her use of a mobile phone during take-off procedures. While the airline alleged that she assaulted a crew member and disrupted the flight, Emmanson pushed back, saying she was unfairly provoked and intimidated.

 

She recounted how an eyewitness sitting beside her later confirmed that one crew member allegedly threatened to “deal with” her during the heated exchange. “I felt provoked, intimidated, and singled out. That does not excuse raised voices or any contact, but it is part of what happened,” she noted.

 

According to her, the situation worsened after landing when she was forcefully removed from the aircraft. She claimed her clothes were disheveled in the process, leaving her 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.

 

Her account aligns with concerns earlier raised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which condemned her treatment, particularly the filming and exposure, describing it as a violation of her dignity.

 

Emmanson was remanded after the incident but released on August 13 when the Federal Government withdrew the case against her. Initially, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) imposed a lifetime ban preventing her from flying with Nigerian carriers. That sanction has since been lifted following a government-led review.

 

“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 said.

 

While apologising, she called for lessons to be learned from the saga, demanding clearer rules that balance aviation safety with passenger dignity.

 

“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 wrote.

 

She urged civility from both passengers and crew moving forward and promised to cooperate fully with investigators.

 

“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,” she said.

 

Emmanson thanked her supporters, including family, friends, lawyers, and Nigerians who, in her words, “insisted that safety and human dignity can — and must — coexist.”