Comfort Emmanson, a female passenger who caused a violent disruption on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been charged to court and remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, according to Mr. Tunde Moshood, spokesperson to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The incident occurred shortly before takeoff at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, when Emmanson refused to switch off her mobile phone as instructed.
After the pilot-in-command’s announcement, a fellow passenger turned off the phone, leading to Emmanson’s outburst.
Upon landing in Lagos, Emmanson confronted and physically assaulted the purser who had asked her to switch off her phone.
She reportedly stepped on the purser, tore off her wig, removed her glasses, threw the glasses to the floor, assaulted her with her footwear, and slapped her multiple times. When other cabin crew intervened, she slapped them as well.
The situation escalated as Emmanson attempted to remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, which could have endangered the aircraft.
Airport security was alerted by the pilot. Despite the presence of Ibom Air and FAAN security personnel, Emmanson continued her violent behavior, assaulting security staff and the ground supervisor even after being restrained and removed from the aircraft by force.
Mr. Moshood urged the flying public to be more careful in their conduct, emphasizing the serious consequences of such unruly behavior on flights.
The court proceedings and legal actions against Comfort Emmanson are ongoing.
