Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of attacking airline staff on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been formally arraigned in court.
Tunde Moshood, the media and communications adviser to the Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, confirmed that Emmanson is currently held at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.
Moshood shared this update in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. This comes shortly after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) warned that stricter penalties will soon be imposed at Nigerian airports due to increasing cases of disruptive passenger behavior.
โThe more reason the flying public should be more careful, the unruly passenger on Uyo-Lagos bound Ibom Air, Miss Comfort Emmanson has been charged to court and sheโs now cooling off in Kirikiri,โ Moshood said.
Videos circulating on social media showed an enraged Emmanson attacking flight attendants on an Ibom Air plane and confronting airport security officials.
Ibom Air said the incident began shortly before take-off from Uyo when the passenger refused to comply with standard aviation safety procedures requiring her to switch off her mobile phone.
The airline said a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off, prompting a verbal tirade from Emmanson.
The aviation company said upon arrival in Lagos, Emmanson proceeded to confront the purser who had earlier instructed her to switch off her phone, and physically assaulted her.
Ibom Air said her conduct posed a serious threat to the safety of its crew, passengers, and aircraft.
The domestic carrier, therefore, imposed a travel restriction on her, adding that she will no longer be allowed to fly on any of its aircraft.
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