—–AON imposes life ban
By Olayinka Owolabi
Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of assaulting airline officials aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been charged to court and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
The development was confirmed in a post on X on Monday by Mr. Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The Blaze Newspaper gathered that Emmanson, who was travelling on the Uyo–Lagos flight, was captured in a viral video repeatedly slapping a purser after allegedly being told to switch off her phone before take-off.
In a statement on Monday, Ibom Air announced a ban on the passenger, citing her assault on a member of its cabin crew. The airline explained that the incident began before departure from Uyo when Emmanson refused to comply with safety protocols requiring passengers to turn off their mobile devices.
Similarly, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has imposed a lifetime no-fly ban on Emmanson over what it described as violent and unacceptable conduct.
AON spokesperson, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, said on Monday that the decision followed a review of Ibom Air’s detailed incident report.
“This was not just disruptive; it was a sustained, violent attack that placed the lives of crew, passengers, and the integrity of the aircraft at risk. This behaviour is unacceptable,” he declared.
“She is hereby banned from flying with any AON member airline, either domestically or internationally, for life.”
