Our Reporter, Abuja
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly criticised the treatment of Ms. Comfort Emmanson by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), describing the lifetime flight ban imposed on her as “heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara condemned the August 10 incident aboard an Ibom Air flight, where Emmanson was allegedly forcibly removed from the aircraft without justification or fair hearing, subjected to public humiliation, and later banned for life.
According to the NBA, video footage from the incident showed an Ibom Air hostess preventing Emmanson from disembarking, with the unedited recording later circulating widely online. The association described the dissemination of footage showing the indecent images of the passenger as degrading, a violation of her dignity and privacy, and a criminal act under Nigerian law.
“Those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage must be identified and prosecuted,” the statement read.
“Even if the incident was to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited to protect her identity and privacy.”
The NBA urged Ibom Air to withdraw the lifetime ban immediately, issue a public apology, and cooperate with an impartial investigation. It also called on the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and security agencies to conduct a thorough inquiry, sanction those culpable, and enforce strict compliance with humane treatment standards for air passengers.
The association pledged free legal representation for Emmanson to secure redress for the alleged violations, warning that “the fundamental rights of every Nigerian are sacrosanct” and must be respected.
“The rule of law must prevail, and human dignity must never be compromised. In this matter, justice must be done,” the NBA insisted.
