Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of assaulting airline staff aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been charged to court and remanded in the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.
Tunde Moshood, special adviser on media and communications to the minister of aviation and aerospace development, confirmed the development in a post on X on Monday.
His statement came shortly after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) warned that enforcement actions would become more frequent at Nigerian airports due to a rise in unruly passenger behavior.
“The more reason the flying public should be more careful — the unruly passenger on the Uyo–Lagos bound Ibom Air, Miss Comfort Emmanson, has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri,” Moshood wrote.
Videos circulating on social media captured an agitated Emmanson confronting airport security personnel and attacking flight attendants on board the aircraft.
According to Ibom Air, the incident began shortly before take-off from Uyo when Emmanson refused to comply with standard aviation safety procedures requiring her to switch off her mobile phone. The airline said another passenger seated next to her took the phone and switched it off, prompting a heated verbal outburst from Emmanson.
Upon arrival in Lagos, Ibom Air said she confronted the purser — the crew member who had earlier instructed her to switch off her phone — and physically assaulted her.
The airline described her conduct as a serious threat to the safety of the crew, passengers, and the aircraft. As a result, Ibom Air announced a permanent travel restriction against her, stating that she will no longer be allowed to board any of its flights.
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