Conflicting accounts of Ibom Air incident surface online

By Dickson Omobola

Conflicting accounts of the incident involving a female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos have surfaced on the internet.

Public sympathy, especially on social media, is swinging to her side, as audios and stories from those who were onboard the flight emerge online.

Ibom’s account

Narrating what transpired in a statement, Ibom said Emmanson shortly before take-off from Uyo was “instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures, to switch off her mobile phone. She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off. This action prompted a verbal tirade from Ms. Emmanson. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.

“Upon arrival in Lagos, Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront the Purser who had earlier instructed her. 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 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.

“By this time, the Pilot-in-Command had alerted airport security. Before security could arrive, the Purser as seen on the viral video on the internet, prevented the passenger from leaving the aircraft until security arrived. The arrival of Ibom Air Security personnel, did not deter the passenger as she attacked them as well, lashing out violently at both Ibom Air and FAAN security. She was then restrained and removed from the aircraft by force. Even after disembarking, she continued to assault both Ibom Air and FAAN security staff, and even slapped the ground supervisor.”

Passengers’ accounts
However, in an audio recording posted by one UnkleAyo on X, a passenger, who refused to disclose his identity, dismissed the airline’s account.

In the audio recording, the passenger said: “Honestly speaking, that lady did not do up to 10 per cent of what I would have done if I were in her shoes. Those people (Ibom) posted what they wanted everyone to see. They created and painted the narrative they wanted people to see so that people could actually pity them. This lady (Emmanson) was not insulting; she was not rude. I do not even know the words to use.

“The whole issue started with the air hostess. That lady is power drunk, that is the word I can use right now. She is the kind of Nigerian elder who wants everything they say to be done their way. By the way, I was on the flight. How do you go and meet someone and tell them to turn off their phone, but when the person says: ‘My phone is on flight mode, and I am actually going through the phone editing videos,’ the next thing is to raise your voice and say, ‘All these useless children, all these people who have no respect. Do I look like your mate?’ The lady (Emmanson) was still calm and even tried to show her the phone, but she (the air hostess) took the phone and smashed it on the floor.

“When it was time to deboard the plane, you blocked her and said you had called security on her. The lady tried to pass, but she was pushed away. She said another person could pass. It was the part they wanted the country to see that they posted. Truth be told, when those security people came, the lady was very quiet, even from the dragging of clothes to the slapping. That air hostess literally slapped that lady.

“When the security people came, there was a pastor on board who called for calm, saying that was not what happened. The next thing that came out of their mouths was: ‘Does the man want to be used as an example?”

In another screenshot of what transpired posted by one Tunde Ibrahim on WhatsApp, the passenger stated: “I was on board. It was the crew member that resisted the lady from coming down because of putting the phone off and not putting the phone off. The lady told the crew that her phone was already on flight mode. After landing, they refused to allow the lady to come down, saying they had called the airport security. In fact, they pushed the lady back on the seat for many of us to pass.”

Meanwhile, Emmanson, 26, has appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba, Lagos, for allegedly causing chaos aboard an Ibom Air flight shortly after it landed.

Also, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has placed her on a ‘no fly’ ban for life.

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