The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the handling of Ms. Comfort Emmanson during an incident aboard an Ibom Air flight on August 10, 2025, and the subsequent lifetime flight ban imposed on her by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
In a statement on Tuesday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the actions against the passenger were “excessive, unlawful, and a blatant violation of the rule of law and human dignity.”
He said it was “deeply troubling” that Ms. Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped in public, and humiliated in a manner that was filmed and shared online.
According to him, “such treatment was degrading, violated her rights to dignity and privacy, and fell far below the standards expected in the aviation industry.”
Osigwe maintained that “no person should be subjected to such dehumanising conduct under any circumstances.”
The association noted that while Ibom Air had released its account of events, other video evidence suggested an airline hostess prevented Ms. Emmanson from leaving the aircraft, an action that could amount to false imprisonment and a possible provocation that escalated the altercation.
The NBA insisted that “the matter must be subjected to an independent and impartial investigation before any disciplinary action is taken.”
Osigwe further criticised the lifetime ban, stressing that it was imposed “without giving Ms. Emmanson the opportunity to present her side of the story.”
He argued that the decision, backed by AON, “violated the principle of fair hearing” and that “only the appropriate statutory regulator, not private airlines or associations, has the authority to restrict a passenger’s right to fly.”
The NBA also condemned the recording and unedited online circulation of images exposing Ms. Emmanson’s nudity, describing it as “a criminal act and gross invasion of privacy.” It called for those responsible to be “identified, prosecuted, and sanctioned.”
The association demanded that Ibom Air withdraw the ban, apologise publicly to Ms. Emmanson, and cooperate fully with an impartial investigation.
It urged the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and relevant security agencies to ensure accountability and uphold standards for humane passenger treatment.
The NBA pledged to provide Ms. Emmanson with free legal representation to seek justice and redress, warning that it “will not remain silent when the fundamental rights of Nigerians are violated by either public or private entities.”
