Ibom Air fraca: Airline operators lift life ban on Emmanson

By Dickson Omobola

Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, yesterday lifted the lifetime ban earlier imposed on Ms. Comfort Emmanson over her unruly behaviour aboard Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025.

This is coming as an eye witness, David Ogede who was also a passenger on the flight gave insight on what triggered the incident.

AON spokesperson, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, said the decision to lift the ban on Ms Emmanson followed the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who appealed for clemency.

According to him, “Having considered all the circumstances of the matter, including her reported remorse, the withdrawal of the complaint, the striking out of the charges, and her release from custody, our members resolved to lift the ban. This is in the spirit of drawing a line under the matter while maintaining our commitment to safety and order.”

He stressed that the action should not be mistaken for a relaxation of industry discipline. “We maintain a zero-tolerance stance on unruly passenger conduct. Any future infraction of this nature will attract decisive sanctions,” he warned.

According to him, “Incidents of unruly and disruptive behaviour will reduce significantly if passengers understand that the law takes a very serious view of such acts. Our operators are determined to ensure that crew, security personnel, and passengers are better informed and prepared to uphold order in the aviation environment.”

Okonkwo reiterated that the lifting of the ban on Emmanson was a singular act of clemency saying, “This should not be seen as us going soft. It is about closing this particular chapter in the hope that the lessons have been learned and that the sector can move forward with a renewed focus on safety and discipline. ”

Meanwhile, Mr Ogede, who was seated next to Emmanson, yesterday claimed she was “triggered” by an air hostess before tempers flared.

Ogede, a lawyer, speaking on a Channels TV programme, The Morning Brief, said he saw and heard everything from his seat, 14B, directly across the aisle from Emmanson.

“I was sitting to her immediate left, no more than two feet away. Even though the second air hostess was speaking to her, I felt humiliated just listening to the way the lady was being addressed,” Ogede recalled.

 He said the first hostess had politely instructed passengers to switch off their phones, but the second one, who later confronted Emmanson, “came looking for trouble.”

According to Ogede, Emmanson explained that her phone’s power button was faulty and asked for help, but the hostess refused to touch the device, instead instructing her to navigate the phone settings.

 “She told her, ‘Go to settings, go to general,’ and when the lady said she could not understand, the hostess replied, ‘I do not have time for your nonsense,’” he alleged. At that point, Ogede stated that another passenger intervened, asking the hostess to change her tone, but she ignored them.

Ogede claimed that when Emmanson asked why she was being embarrassed, the hostess threatened, “If you say another word, I will deal with you.” He said that was when Emmanson reacted angrily, using strong language. The hostess then left and never returned.

“The gentleman beside her eventually helped switch off the phone. Some passengers thought she had refused to comply, but that wasn’t the case. She had been trying but needed help,” Ogede said.

Ogede maintained that the situation could have been avoided if handled by the first, more professional hostess.

Meanwhile Wasiu Ayinde Marshal a.k.a KWAM 1 who was involved in similar airport incident, yesterday told Vanguard that he has accepted his appointment by the federal government to become the ambassador of proper airport security protocol. 

Kwame 1’s manager, Kunle Rasheed  in a telephone chat with our correspondent said: “One thing I know is that the federal government knows why they appointed him an ambassador  for airport security protocol. It’s a welcome development and a sign that they have shown remorse.”

According to him, KWAM1 sees the appointment as a community service, and  accepted it.

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