The KWAM I and Comfort Emmanson cases reveal double standards in Nigeria’s aviation sector, raising questions of justice, power, and human rights
NOT even someone sentenced to death undergoes the crudities and indignities that attended the evacuation of Ms Comfort Emmanson, a passenger, from Ibom Air on Sunday.
Also read: FAAN passenger conduct appeal after KWAM 1, KWAM 2 incidents
Even when someone is sentenced to death, the judge would state clearly how the convict would be killed.
A convict has rights. Ms Emmanson’s were so wantonly abused that she was unclad for the entertainment of audiences, part of whose pleasure has been to maintain a strident criticism of her dressing as if she left Uyo so dressed.
Her state of unclad was evidence of the treatment meted to her by the assemblage of aircraft crew and supposed security officials. Their crudeness was their most visible quality.
What were the rights of manhandled Ms Emmanson over just allegations her opponents made?
The allegations against Ms Emmanson?
a. She refused to comply with directives from a crew member to switch off her phone.
b. She engaged the crew and airport security personal in heated exchanges that escalated to slaps, kicks and dovetailed to her dignity being vastly compromised.
Excessive force was deployed to get her off the aircraft. At least five people engaged in pushing her around, and more hands joined in dragging her down the stairs.
The crudeness was evident. Her opponents wore it as a badge of honour whose value could only be elevated by exhibiting their abilities to unleash more brutality if her persistence continued.
She was tossed down the stairs like a sack of thrash that needed to be removed in quick pace for society’s survival. Some watched with askance as if her presence was an imminent threat to their humanity.
Sunday, 10 August 2025, should be noted as a day professionalism, whatever it means at Nigeria’s prime airport, was on vacation. Could it be how the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, operates?
A horde of security people raced up the airstair, like an army of conquest, to subdue an unruly passenger, yet none bore an equipment to contain the situation.
As a lady was the centre of the commotion, at least a lady security personnel should have been involved in getting Ms Emmanson off the aircraft. That would have voided the male hands that could not find where to hold without violating her.
There was no handcuff to restrain her. A tranquiliser could have performed the same role. Were they locked up with those to authorise their use absent?
Perhaps, being a Sunday the operations were lax. The thinking required to manage the issues was absent. An assessment of the resources available in our airports for “such emergencies” is urgently required.
Ibom Air in its entire engagement with Ms Emmanson carried on as if it was a business on a hurry to shut itself down.
The six-year-old Ibom Air which passengers admire for its record with timely operations, in addition to humiliating its passenger, without waiting for a court decision, had slammed a life ban on her from flying.
Other airlines, some with records that should keep them grounded for eternity, joined in issuing the life ban on Ms Emmanson.
What mindlessness would permit an airline to group think that mal-treatment of a passenger, glaringly, apparently to “teach” the passenger a lesson, would not affect patronage of its business?
How far was Ibom Air ready to go? Did it want the passenger dead? Nobody who participated in that crude operation thought about the passengers safety? In the airline’s operations manual, was the treatment of Ms Emmanson the standard for deboarding an unruly passenger?
There were grand efforts at ensuring Ms Emmanson was left with permanent disabilities if not with life-threatening injuries. Millions of people who have watched the video clips easily come to that conclusion.
The interventions of the Nigeria Association, the interjection of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, ensured her release from a two-day detention, which included a day in Kirikiri Prison, on the orders of a magistrate court.
Ms Emmanson posted after her release, “Thank you so much for all the prayers, love, and support, I’ve been released from the prison, but I’m still in pains due to how I was treated.
I just need some rest and medical treatment before I give out my own version of the event. Thank you so much my Lovely friends and supporters. I really appreciate y’all from the button of my heart. God bless y’all. THANK YOU MY GREAT GOD!!!”
Troubling matters around managing the incident that intercept safety and lawlessness at our airports include the askance with which individuals weilding assumed powers become prosecutors, and judge in their own cases without a chance for the other party to be heard marked Ms Emmanson’s ordeal.
Ibom Air in its engagement with Ms Emmanson carried on as if it was a business on a hurry to shut down. The six-year-old Ibom Air which passengers admire for its record with timely operations, in addition to humiliating its passenger, without waiting for a court decision, had slammed a life ban on her from flying.
Other airlines, some with records that should keep them grounded for eternity, joined in issuing the life ban on Ms Emmanson.
What mindlessness would permit an airline to group think that mal-treatment of a passenger, glaringly, apparently to “teach” the passenger a lesson, would not affect patronage of its business?
How far was Ibom Air ready to go? Did it want the passenger dead? Nobody who participated in that crude operation thought about the passengers safety? In the airline operations manual, was the treatment of Ms Emmanson the standard for deboarding an unruly passenger?
There were grand efforts at ensuring Ms Emmanson was left with permanent disabilities if not with life-threatening injuries. Millions of people who have watched the video clips easily come to that conclusion.
When did dragging a human being down an iron airstair become part of enforcing a law? And for which offence? She could have had a head or brain damage was possible. It is a wonder her spinal cord is intact. Nobody cared. It was obvious.
Keyamo’s decision in the case involving Fuji megastar King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, KWAM I, De Ultimate, played a huge part in providing balance on the scale of justice, in this instance.
KWAM I had obstructed the departure of a ValueJet flight when he was stopped from boarding for having a flask that had an unknown substance.
The pilot’s licence was suspended for commencing departure without ground clearance. KWAM I could have been injured.
He was allowed to leave the airport. Keyamo said KWAM I should also be sanctioned. A six-month “no fly” ban was finally placed on the musician.
The public thought it was inadequate. His influence and known association with the President were seen as reasons for the pat on the back that he got.
When injustices started raining on the very unknown Ms Emmanson, the KWAM I case that was only five days old was a quick exemplifier of the quantum of the unfairness. She had to be set free.
The point remains that the punishment for not switching off a phone in an aircraft does not including humiliating the passenger as Ibom Air did. The public would benefit from these incidents if they lead to improvements in customer care.
Finally…
SUPER Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has informed Nigerians that the team has received none of the promises the President made to it on Nigeria’s winning of her 10th WAFCON title. Also on the queue is D’Tigress.
WHERE is the President? Dubai? Brazil? Japan? He could be in any of the places depending on when you read this. Since he does not listen to our complaints, what should we do? We have 2027 to decide.
Also read: Pilots clash over KWAM 1’s appointment as aviation ambassador
SENATE President, His Excellency, Obong Dr Godswill Akpabio is sound and safe as members of his “medical team”, Senator Gbenga Daniel and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, both former Governors, like Akpabio, have testified. If you doubt them, provide proof.
