Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of attacking airline staff on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been arraigned in court and sent to Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, confirmed this in a post on his official X account on Monday.
“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 stated.
His remarks come as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority warns that tougher penalties will be enforced against passengers involved in disruptive behaviour, which has been increasing at airports across Nigeria.
Recall that Emmanson, while on the Uyo to Lagos flight, was seen in a viral video repeatedly slapping a Purser with Ibom Air after allegedly being told to turn off her mobile phone before take-off.
In a statement on Monday, the airline announced it had banned the passenger from using its services after she was found to have assaulted a crew member on board.
According to Ibom Air, the confrontation began before departure from Uyo when Emmanson ignored instructions to turn off her mobile phone as part of safety procedures.
The airline explained that another passenger seated next to her switched off the phone, which triggered a verbal outburst.
It added that when the aircraft landed in Lagos, Emmanson approached the Purser who had given the earlier instruction and physically attacked her.
The carrier further stated that the passenger tried to forcibly take a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, describing it as “an intention to damage and ground the aircraft”.
“Ibom Air said her actions posed a serious risk to the safety of the crew, passengers, and the aircraft.
This incident comes shortly after a similar case involving Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, also known as KWAM 1 or K1, who tried to stop a ValueJet plane from departing after he was removed from the flight.
