Ibom Air has announced a travel ban on a female passenger who assaulted several of its cabin crew members.
Videos circulated on X showing an angry female passenger attacking a flight attendant aboard an Ibom Air flight and confronting airport security officials.
The footage, posted on Sunday, led social media users to note that the passenger was on the Uyo-Lagos flight the same day.
In a statement released on Monday, Ibom Air confirmed that the incident occurred on Sunday during the Uyo–Lagos flight.
The airline identified the passenger as Comfort Emmanson and described her behavior as a serious threat to “the safety of our crew, passengers, and aircraft.”
The aviation company stated that Emmanson was handed over to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and “will no longer be permitted to fly on any of our aircraft.”
“Ibom Air has since submitted a report on the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and placed a travel restriction on Ms. Emmanson, who will no longer be permitted to fly on any of our aircraft,” the statement reads.
According to Ibom Air, just before take-off from Uyo, “Ms. Emmanson was instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures, to switch off her mobile phone.”
“She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off,” the airline explained.
“This action prompted a verbal tirade from Ms. Emmanson. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.”
“Upon arrival in Lagos, Ms. Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront the Purser who had earlier instructed her. She walked up to the unsuspecting Purser, stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses and threw it to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her.”
“She slapped her several times and when the other cabin crew member tried to intervene, she slapped her too. She then attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.”
Ibom Air added that by this time, the pilot-in-command had called for airport security.
“Before security could arrive, the Purser as seen on the viral video on the internet, prevented the passenger from leaving the aircraft until security arrived. The arrival of Ibom Air Security personnel, did not deter the passenger as she attacked them as well, lashing out violently at both Ibom Air and FAAN security,” the airline stated.
“She was then restrained and removed from the aircraft by force. Even after disembarking, she continued to assault both Ibom Air and FAAN security staff, and even slapped the ground supervisor.”
“The passenger was removed from the ramp and taken into custody by FAAN security and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.”
The airline reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on any unruly or violent behavior that endangers passengers, crew, or equipment.
This incident follows closely after another airport disturbance less than a week ago, when Wasiu Ayinde, the veteran Fuji musician also known as KWAM 1, spilled an alcoholic beverage on airport staff while boarding a ValueJet plane at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
