The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD) a Civil Society Organisation has offered to provide free legal services to defend Miss Comfort Emmanson over what it described as “unfair, unjust, and unacceptable treatment” meted out to her by Ibom Air and other regulatory bodies involved in the matter.
NEFGAD made this known in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Monday through its Head of Office, Omoniyi Akingunola.
The group stated that it is not convinced the lady received fair treatment, hence the need for a thorough investigation. It also criticised the airline operators of Nigeria for hastily assuming the role of a court by handing the lady a lifetime ban without a fair hearing and thorough investigation. NEFGAD further faulted the Nigeria Police for rushing to court in a matter that should have first undergone proper fact-finding.
The organisation stressed that the publicly available footage of the incident is incomplete, noting that the matter began on board the aircraft. It insisted that Ibom Air is duty-bound to release the in-flight video footage for proper investigation to determine whether the lady’s actions were a result of sheer provocation.
“It is wrong to judge the incident based solely on the clip recorded outside the aircraft. It appears something happened inside the plane, and the lady reacted after she was prevented from disembarking, an apparent orchestrated provocation to ensure she was penalised for whatever had transpired in-flight.
How do you expect anyone treated in such a manner to behave civilly after being forcibly dragged down? Or how do you explain that a passenger who was ready to disembark at one moment suddenly refused to leave moments later? This suggests the situation was deliberately escalated to fit a certain narrative.” The statement read.
NEFGAD maintained that air hostesses or cabin crew can not assume the role of law enforcement officers in such situations, especially when their actions cause serious physical assault.
The group also referenced a video released by Comfort Emmanson, where she was seen appealing to a flight attendant blocking her path to allow her to leave the aircraft. Her request was ignored until the arrival of other airline and airport staff, who allegedly manhandled and assaulted her to the point of stripping her in public.
NEFGAD further demanded that those responsible for releasing the video showing the lady naked be investigated and prosecuted, describing the act as a criminal violation of her privacy.
