Ibom Airlines Limited has imposed a lifetime travel ban on a passenger identified as Ms. Comfort Emmanson following a violent altercation onboard one of its flights. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, quickly went viral after footage surfaced online showing the passenger assaulting an airline crew member.
According to an official statement released by Ibom Air on Monday, the altercation began shortly before take-off on a flight from Uyo to Lagos. Ms. Emmanson allegedly refused to switch off her mobile phone despite repeated instructions from the Purser, in line with aviation safety regulations. It took an intervention from a fellow passenger to power down the device.
The airline reported that the situation escalated upon arrival in Lagos. After all passengers had disembarked, Ms. Emmanson approached the Purser who had instructed her earlier, stepping on her, forcibly removing her wig and glasses, and striking her multiple times with her footwear. Another cabin crew member who tried to intervene was also slapped.
Ibom Air further alleged that Ms. Emmanson attempted to remove a fire extinguisher from the aircraft, an action the airline interpreted as a potential threat to damage and ground the plane.
The Pilot-in-Command alerted airport security, but before their arrival, the Purser physically prevented Ms. Emmanson from leaving the aircraft. Upon the arrival of Ibom Air security personnel, the passenger allegedly continued her violent outburst, attacking them and later slapping the airline’s ground supervisor.
The disruptive passenger was eventually restrained, removed from the aircraft, and handed over to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security team, who transferred her into police custody for further investigation.
Ibom Air stated that it has officially reported the matter to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards unruly and violent passenger behaviour. The airline commended its crew members and security personnel for maintaining professionalism during the incident.
