Ibom Air has placed a permanent travel ban on a female passenger following a violent altercation with cabin crew and security personnel at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Sunday. The incident, which was captured in videos that have since gone viral on social media, began after the passenger allegedly refused to comply with safety instructions.
According to a statement released by Ibom Air, the passenger, identified as Ms. Comfort Emmanson, was on a flight from Uyo to Lagos when she was instructed to switch off her mobile phone before takeoff. The airline claims she refused to comply until the pilot-in-command made an announcement and a fellow passenger intervened to switch off the device. This reportedly led to a verbal confrontation.
The situation escalated upon arrival in Lagos. The airline's statement alleges that Ms. Emmanson waited for other passengers to disembark before confronting the lead cabin crew member (Purser) who had initially given her the instruction. She is accused of physically assaulting the Purser and another crew member, tearing off a wig and glasses, and attempting to use a fire extinguisher as a weapon.
Airport security, which had been alerted by the flight crew, was also allegedly attacked by the passenger before she was restrained and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
Ibom Air has condemned the behavior, reiterating its zero-tolerance policy for any unruly or violent conduct that jeopardizes the safety of passengers, crew, or aircraft. The airline has confirmed that it has submitted a full report of the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and that Ms. Emmanson will no longer be permitted to fly on any of their aircraft.
The NCAA's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, commented on the incident, urging passengers to understand their responsibilities and comply with crew instructions for the safety of all on board. This incident is the latest in a series of reported cases of passenger misconduct in Nigerian aviation, coming just days after the NCAA imposed a flight ban on a popular musician for a separate in-flight incident.
