NBA Condemns Ibom Air Over ‘Reckless’ Treatment Of Passenger Comfort Emmanson

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned Ibom Air’s handling of passenger Comfort Emmanson, describing it as reckless and degrading.

NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Mobolaji Ojibara jointly denounced the events aboard an Ibom Air flight on 10 August 2025. They said the airline’s actions and the lifetime ban imposed on Ms. Emmanson by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) were unlawful and excessive.

According to the NBA, Ms. Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped in public, and humiliated in an incident filmed and circulated online. The association said this treatment violated her right to dignity, privacy, and humane conduct in the aviation sector.

The statement noted that alternative video footage showed an Ibom Air hostess preventing Ms. Emmanson from disembarking. NBA said such conduct could amount to false imprisonment and may have provoked the situation. Therefore, the matter requires an independent and impartial investigation before any disciplinary action is taken.

The NBA criticised Ibom Air’s decision to ban Ms. Emmanson for life without giving her a fair hearing. They stressed that only statutory regulators, not private airline bodies, can suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly.

Furthermore, the association condemned the photographing and online circulation of indecent images of Ms. Emmanson, calling it an invasion of privacy and a criminal act. They demanded that those who recorded and shared the footage face prosecution.

The NBA urged Ibom Air to withdraw the lifetime ban, apologise publicly, and cooperate fully with an impartial probe. They also called on the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and relevant agencies to ensure justice.

The NBA pledged pro bono legal support to Ms. Emmanson, insisting that the rule of law and human dignity must be upheld.