Breaking: Comfort Emmanson Set for Release from Prison as Keyamo Gives Update
- The Federal Government has disclosed that Ibom Air has agreed to withdraw its petition against its unruly passenger, Comfort Emmanson
- Festus Keyamo, the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, announced the development in a statement on Wednesday, August 13
- According to Keyamo, the agreement was reached following his meeting with all the stakeholders on the matter
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Festus Keyamo, the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has disclosed that the Ibom Air Passenger, Comfort Emmanson, who was recently remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre over an alleged assault on airline staff, would be released within this week.
The minister, in a tweet on Wednesday morning, August 13, disclosed the development after his meeting with the officials of Ibom Air and the remorse that Emmanson reportedly showed during his engagement with her.
Source: Twitter
Keyamo speaks on Emmanson vs Ibom Air
Keyamo's statement reads in part:
"I have conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the complaint against her today."
The minister maintained that Ibom Air had agreed to withdraw its complaints against Emmanson, who was arrested on his arrival in Lagos from Akwa Ibom on August 10.
The incident involving Emmanson, which began shortly before take-off at Victor Attah International Airport, reportedly escalated when she allegedly refused to switch off her mobile phone despite repeated safety instructions.
According to Ibom Air, another passenger seated beside her switched off the device, prompting a verbal outburst that turned into a physical confrontation with the cabin crew upon landing in Lagos.
Airline operators impose lifetime ban on Emmanson
The incident led Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to impose a lifetime flight ban on her. The development has generated widespread condemnation among Nigerians, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
The NBA, in the statement, said the airline’s actions were heavy-handed, unlawful and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity. It accused Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) of denying Emmanson a fair hearing before imposing a no-fly ban for life on her. NBA added that stopping Emmanson from leaving the plane could amount to false imprisonment and provocation.
Source: Twitter
Comparison between KWAM 1 and Emmanson's airport saga
Emmanson's case is similar to the confrontation between King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1 or K1 De Ultimate, and the officials of the ValueJet Airlines at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Friday, August 8.
Thus, the federal government not only asked Ibom Air to withdraw its petition against Comfort Emmanson but also reduced the six-month flight ban imposed on KWAM 1 to one month. The Fuji icon had earlier tendered his apology and admitted to being wrong.
Also, Keyamo disclosed that the federal government was considering appointing KWAM 1 as the airport security ambassador for the country.
Interventions worsen confusion, not compliance – Analyst
Lekan Olayiwola, a peace and conflict researcher, has criticised moves that prioritise optics over legal consistency, warning that such actions deepen uncertainty and weaken trust in aviation governance.
He told Legit.ng:
“These interventions, while politically expedient, deepen regulatory confusion. They signal that enforcement is not grounded in law or transparent protocol, but in optics and perceived fairness, often influenced by status, media visibility, or political pressure.”
Calm approach could have prevented outburst - Expert
A specialist in aviation protocol and passenger services, speaking anonymously to Legit.ng about the Comfort Emmanson airport incident, said the response was below professional standards.
The expert also noted how early intervention could have mitigated the situation:
“The handling of the removal process, as observed in the circulated video, appeared unprofessional and lacked the level of restraint and sensitivity expected in such situations. While the passenger’s conduct constituted a serious security breach, early de-escalation through calm communication and clear explanation of safety requirements could have prevented the incident from reaching this level.”
Ibom air reacts to viral video
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ibom Air's management said that the airline did not make public the widely-shared footage of a customer being hauled off an aircraft indecently.
The clarification was made by Aniekan Essienette, group manager of marketing and communications at Ibom Air, in response to the controversy surrounding the incident that has taken over social media.
In an interview, Essienette stated that although the footage was captured on the aircraft, Ibom Air's employees did not record or distribute it.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a policy analyst as well as an aviation protocol expert for this report.
Source: Legit.ng
