Human Rights Activist Omoyele Sowore Condemns the Treatment of  Ibom Air Passenger; Comfort Emmanson.

photo credit: facebook.com | afro tv 

Omoyele Sowore the publisher of Sahara Reporters and  Human rights activist has released a statement on his Facebook page @omoyelesowore concerning the altercation that took on an Ibom Air aircraft traveling from Uto to Lagos and an Ibom Air passenger passenger “Comfort Emmanson” and Ibom air Flight crew after the plane landed at the domestic wing of Murtala Mohammed International airport Lagos whose video has gone viral on the internet, The statement reads:

ON THE TREATMENT OF IBOM AIR PASSENGER COMFORT EMMANSON

Three things are patently wrong with the treatment meted out to Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of slapping a flight attendant on an Ibom Air flight a few days ago.

First, I have long spoken about and experienced the reality that many flight attendants in Nigeria do not see passengers as customers deserving courtesy. Instead, they often treat them as people to be ordered around at will. It baffles me that, in 2025, the most important duty for some Nigerian flight attendants still seems to be harassing adults about switching off their phones often shaming or humiliating passengers in the process.

A polite, professional reminder that phones should be put away during takeoff should be adequate. In the United States, for instance, no one has asked me to switch off my phone in the last ten years, because airlines now encourage passengers to use in-flight internet. I have livestreamed takeoffs and landings in the US as recently as 2024. Also, I have spoken to friends on calls and exchanged WhatsApp messages midflight countless times in the last year.

Second, and far more egregious, is the public sexual humiliation this passenger was subjected to. She was stripped of her dignity in a way that will likely leave lasting trauma from an incident that could have been resolved without such violence, force, or degrading treatment.

Third, and worst of all, was the arbitrary legal persecution that followed. She was essentially ambushed and sent to prison without trial, in what can only be described as a travesty of justice. Many have described this as a discriminatory practice, especially when compared to how other, more powerful individuals, including those accused of more serious infractions, have been treated with kid gloves.

This is about a systemic culture of abuse, humiliation, impunity, and selective justice that continues to thrive in Nigeria, from customer service to the courts. #RevolutionNow

The Ibom Air Passenger Incidence; What happened ?

In a video clip that has gone has gone viral on the internet an Ibom Air passenger on a flight from Uyo to Lagos was seen having an altercation with an Air hostess with the same Air line, after the Aircraft had landed on the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, while the air hostess was seen to be trying to prevent her from disembarking from the aircraft, She was seen to be assaulting her, she was eventually violently dragged out of the aircraft by security personnel of Ibom Air, in a very humiliating and dehumanizing way, exposing her breast, in the process which triggered outrage and wide spread condemnation across the Country.

New Evidence  contradicts the Statement of Ibom Air.

New Evidence coming to light contradicts the statement released by Ibom air, in their statement in part states that; “Shortly 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. 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 and then proceeded to confront the Purser who had earlier instructed her. She walked on to the on suspecting purser, stepped on her forcibly and tore her wig, removed her glasses and threw it on the floor and used her foot wear 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 would have grounded and damaged the Aircraft.”

 But the new video evidence that is circulating on the internet does not tally with the official statement of Ibom air, in the new video she is seen being prevented from disembarking from the air craft while she was pleading in an emotional laden voice, with the air hostess looking unharmed, while the actions of the air hostess was obviously causing her emotional distress which might have allegedly provoked her eventual violent actions.  Other eye witness accounts of passengers also contradict the official statement of Ibom air.

 Importance of Professional Customer Service Relations.

It is important that simple misunderstandings like this in public places involving customers and businesses should be handled more professionally and diplomatically with out degenerating to needless confrontations that has the ability to tarnish the image of corporate organizations as being unfriendly to paying customers and high handed, incidences like this, is very common in Nigeria, were paying customers are humiliated by business organizations such as in banks, transporters, shops and super markets , even in hospitals patients in pain can be interacted with in very unprofessional manner regardless of their pains, resulting from ill health , the impolite attitude of government workers in most government organizations, is very common, while electricity workers most times can be very unprofessional and crude in the discharge of their duties. An attitudinal change is needed in the country, service most be delivered professionally and respectfully to clients and customers, as the saying goes the customer is king, with out the customer there would be no business.

Ms. Emmeson has since been charged to court and remanded in Kirikiri maximum security prison in Lagos State Nigeria, until the 10^th October 2025.