A female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, has been remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Facility after assaulting Ibom Air staff during a flight from Uyo to Lagos.
Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Tunde Moshood, confirmed the development in a post on X on Monday.
“The more reason the flying public should be more careful,” Mr Moshood warned. “The unruly passenger on Uyo-Lagos bound Ibom Air, Miss Comfort Emmanson, has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri.”
His statement came just hours after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced that enforcement against unruly passengers would become more frequent, citing rising cases of misconduct at Nigerian airports.
A video circulating on social media shows Ms Emmanson shouting at and attacking flight attendants before confronting airport security officials.
In its statement, Ibom Air explained that the incident began shortly before take-off from Uyo when Ms Emmanson refused to comply with safety procedures requiring her to switch off her mobile phone.
“When a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off, she launched into a verbal tirade,” the airline said. “Upon arrival in Lagos, she physically assaulted that passenger.”
Ibom Air stressed that her behaviour endangered “the safety of our crew, passengers, and aircraft” and announced an immediate travel ban against her.
“She will no longer be allowed to fly on any of our aircraft,” the carrier declared.
