- As a Senior Lawyer claims Ms Emmanson ‘never at any time refused to switch off her phone for take-off’
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has revealed that airline operators are considering appointing Ms. Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger recently released from prison, as an ambassador for good passenger conduct.
Emmanson was jailed after an incident on an Ibom Air flight but secured her release on Wednesday following government intervention and the withdrawal of the airline’s complaint.
In a statement on Wednesday via his verified X handle, Keyamo said the role being considered for Emmanson, and for Fuji star Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, also known as KWAM, in a separate case, would be voluntary and without financial benefits.
“Whilst the Aviation agencies are considering using KWAM 1 for such a role, in my discussion last night with the Airline Operators of Nigeria, they are also looking at the option of using Ms. Comfort Emmanson, who has also shown remorse, as their own Ambassador for good passenger conduct.
“It is left for the AON to work out those details since she has been actually released from prison custody today based on my earlier statement. Whilst the usual suspects can continue to question our decisions on this issue, we firmly believe we have been fair to all,” his statement read.
He stressed that such ambassadorial roles are not official positions and have been given to repentant individuals by past Nigerian governments.
He added, “It is common practice all over the world that a repentant offender is made to preach publicly against the exact conduct from which he has repented. It is akin to Community Service.
“It is not paid for and it is voluntary service. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, some would assume that once you hear the word ‘Ambassador’ it is a big position that comes with the perquisites of office. No, it is not. It is for free.”
Emmanson, a passenger on an Ibom Air flight, was involved in an altercation that disrupted operations. She was arrested, prosecuted and jailed for disorderly conduct before her release on Wednesday after Ibom Air withdrew its complaint.
On a flight from Uyo to Lagos, passenger Emmanson allegedly refused to power off her mobile phone during takeoff, prompting a verbal outburst.
Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria imposed a lifetime no-fly ban on her, which was met with condemnation from the Nigerian Bar Association and other rights groups, citing due process and human dignity concerns.
On August 5 KWAM 1 clashed with airline staff and security officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while attempting to board a ValueJet flight to Lagos.
He was accused of carrying a prohibited flask believed to contain alcohol, spilling its contents on personnel, and walking onto the tarmac to block the plane from taxiing.
Meanwhile, a senior lawyer and son of a retired Justice of the Supreme Court judge, David Ogebe, in a social media post titled: “An Eye Witness Account – Ibom Air Flight No. QI 513 from Uyo To Lagos on Sunday, 10 August 2025”, gave his account of what happened in the aircraft.
So, I was on the now infamous Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos on 10 August 20225 at 1:20 pm. I sat on seat 14B, the aisle seat on the left side of the emergency exit row of the Plane. Miss. Emmanson sat across the aisle immediately to my right on the corresponding emergency exit row aisle seat (that should be seat 14C or D, depending on how the seats were numbered).
Considering it was a small aircraft, it could be said that we sat about two feet apart, so I was privy, first hand, to all that transpired prior to take off, and upon landing until I exited the plane before the entire drama began. I will detail hereunder what transpired, suffice to say, at no time did Miss. Emmanson refuse to switch off her phone for take off.
Disclaimer
It is important to state that prior to meeting Miss. Emmanson on the aircraft by pure happenstance, I had never met her before. She is a complete stranger to me. In the same vein I have never met any of the Ibom Air hostesses before Friday, to the best of my knowledge, and I am only speaking out now out of a moral duty and civic responsibility to speak the truth so that everyone, whether highly placed or not, highly connected or not, can be treated fairly and justly in all circumstances.
I must also state immediately that I do not condone or endorse the acts of violence and disorderliness exhibited by Miss. Emmanson as seen in various videos circulating in the media space. It is not justified.
Unjustified Humiliation and Provocation By Ibom Air Hostess
There were only two air hostesses on the plane which I presume to be as a result of the size of the plane. One of the hostesses approached us and gave us the regular briefing for passengers sitting on the emergency exit. This hostess was exceptionally kind, polite and amiable. I will refer to her henceforth as hostess 1. After the briefing she asked Miss. Emmanson politely twice to switch off her phone. I noticed thereafter that Miss. Emmanson was fiddling with her phone with some uncertainty.
After hostess 1 left to continue her duties, hostess 2 came with an almighty huff and told Miss. Emmanson to switch off her phone with a very high voice. Miss. Emmanson in a low voice tried to explain to hostess 2 that the buttons on her phone for switch off were not working so she did not know how to switch off the phone. Hostess 2 rebuffed her and kept insisting that she switches off the phone. Hostess 2 then told her that the phone she was holding was an iPhone which did not require buttons to switch off.
The lady now asked the hostess to assist her switch off the phone and hostess 2 replied “I am not touching your phone”. Hostess 2 now told her to go to settings and from there click on general. The lady now responded in an even lower voice saying “please I cannot read and don’t know what you said I should do. Can you just help me?” Hostess 2 now retorted “Please I don’t have time for your nonsense. Better switch off that phone immediately”.
The gentleman sitting to my left in seat 14A and I were flabbergasted when we heard this and could not believe that an air hostess could speak so condescendingly and unnecessarily humiliate a passenger, perhaps because she was a single female.
We then intervened and asked the gentleman sitting next to the lady by the window of her row to assist her. He collected the phone and was assisting her. Miss. Emmanson then started asking hostess 2 if there was anything wrong with being unable to read and why she had to humiliate her like that to the whole public. Hostess 2 now told Miss. Emmanson to keep quiet or else she would deal with her. At this point Miss. Emmanson started cursing and told her she could do nothing to her. Hostess 2 then said “ok, you will see” then she left in a puff and proceeded to the cockpit and never came back.
Some passengers sitting afar who did not know what truly transpired were shouting for Miss. Emmanson to switch off her phone. However, the passenger in seat 14A and I rose up stoutly and defended her and when they heard our explanations they all calmed down and the flight took off.
Airborne
Throughout the flight Miss. Emmason was upset and simmering. She kept on discussing the situation with the gentleman on her right till the plane landed. She was obviously quite annoyed. I also noticed that Hostess 2 kept peeping at our row throughout the flight. She stayed upfront in the plane most of the time if I recollect correctly.
Hostess 1 on the other hand was completely oblivious of the raging storm (at least I thought so) and was kind, polite and professional throughout. Hostess 1 gave extra water to Miss. Emmanson when she asked for it in-flight and also helped her with bringing out and returning her food tray when snacks were served and also as we were approaching landing. Hostess 1 also helped put away some of Miss. Emmanson things in the cabin above before landing.
Disembarkation
Once the plane landed, the gentleman in seat 14A and I joked that we had better get out quickly before a war breaks out. We both expressed hope that nothing happened as we disembarked. Disembarkation was being done row by row and just before it got to our turn, Miss. Emmanson exited her seat to the back of the plane and I presumed she went to the toilet. We happily disembarked and I forgot all about the spat in the plane until I started seeing all the videos and statements flying unabatedly. I hope the other gentlemen who witnessed this unfortunate incident on row 14 along with me will speak up and corroborate all I have said, which is the truth. I am ready to stand by all I have said here and will be glad to stand as a witness if need be for Miss Emmanson.
Conclusion
- Miss. Emmanson never at any time refused to switch off her phone for take-off.
- Hostess 2 acted very poorly and inflamed a rather simple and small matter. And this is putting it mildly.
- Hostess 1 was exceptional and if she were the one that handled the entire episode, this would not have happened.
- Ibom Air needs to do better in training their staff to learn to be sensitive and empathetic where necessary.
- Miss. Emmanson’s reactions, though founded on grave unwarranted humiliation and provocation, has no place in any sane society and should not be encouraged.
