NBA Slams Ibom Air, AON Over ‘Reckless’ Violation Of Passenger’s Dignity

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has sharply condemned the treatment of Ms. Comfort Emmanson during an incident aboard an Ibom Air flight on 10 August 2025, as well as the lifetime flight ban later imposed on her by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Viral videos circulating online show an agitated Emmanson confronting flight attendants mid-flight and clashing with airport security officials.

According to Ibom Air, the incident occurred shortly before takeoff from Uyo when Emmanson refused to comply with safety instructions to switch off her mobile phone. Upon arrival in Lagos, she allegedly approached the purser who had earlier instructed her to power down her device and physically assaulted her.

Airport security and officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria intervened after she refused to leave voluntarily. In the ensuing struggle on the tarmac, her shirt was torn, leaving her chest exposed. She was then handed over to the police and reported to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Ibom Air and AON subsequently placed her on a permanent no-fly list.

In a statement signed by NBA President Afam Osigwe and Secretary Mobolaji Ojibara, the association described the handling of the matter by Ibom Air crew as “heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity.”

The NBA expressed alarm that Emmanson was forcibly removed, stripped in public, and subjected to humiliation captured on camera and circulated online, calling the act degrading and a violation of her rights to dignity and privacy.

The association stressed that no person should be treated in such a dehumanising way, regardless of the circumstances. It also pointed to other video footage suggesting that an Ibom Air hostess physically blocked Emmanson from exiting the aircraft—a move the NBA said could amount to false imprisonment and possible provocation that worsened the situation. This, they argued, underscores the need for an independent and impartial investigation before any disciplinary measures are enforced.

The NBA further criticised the lifetime ban as one-sided and imposed without giving Emmanson a fair hearing. It argued that only the statutory aviation regulator—not private associations or airline operators acting unilaterally—has the legal authority to suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly.