Unruly Ibom Air passenger charged to court, remanded in Kirikiri prison,
By Egufe Yafugborhi & Dickson Omobola
Female passenger, Comfort Bob, who allegedly assaulted Ibom Air’s crew and clashed with airport security at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, has been remanded at Kirikiri Maxi-mum Security prison in Lagos.
The 26-year-old woman, yesterday, appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba, Lagos, for allegedly causing chaos aboard an Ibom Air flight shortly after it landed at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Ikeja.
She was remanded by the court. Also, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has placed her on “no fly” list indefinitely.
However, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, condemned the release of indecent footage on the unruly passenger.
Meanwhile, Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 poll, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the arrest and persecution of Emmanson, an unruly passenger on an Ibom Air plane, saying that the treatment meted out to Bob was worse than the punishment inflicted on Wasiu Ayinde, who engaged in an altercation with ValueJet staff and airport officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja last week.
Comfort Bob charged
Bob, whose address was not provided, is facing a five-count charge bordering on disorderly conduct, assault, and malicious damage, offences said to contravene the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, bye-laws and the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Police Prosecutor told the court that the incident occurred about 2:30p.m., on August 10, 2025, while Ibom Air flight No. SN-BXP was parked at MMA2 after arrival.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Comfort Bob, on the said date and place, did behave in an unruly and disorderly manner by shouting on top of your voice, abusing and assaulting the flight crew and refusing to disembark from the aircraft after landing, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 4(1)(a) and punishable under Section 4(2) of the FAAN bye-law, 2005.”
Another count alleged: “That you, Comfort Bob, on the same date and place, did assault one Jokpame Sagun by hitting her face with your slippers and thereby commit-ted an offence contrary to Section 170(1)(a)(b) and punishable under Section 172 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The court further heard that the defendant willfully damaged an aircraft divider curtain valued at $2,500, property of Ibom Air, and tore a N110,000 braided wig belonging to one of the victims.
She was remanded in prison custody pending further hearing of the matter slated for October 6, 2025.
Airlines ban unruly Ibom Air passenger for life
Spokesperson for AON, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, in a statement said: “The incident which Ibom Air described, from the initial refusal by the passenger to comply with safety instructions regarding mobile phone usage which led to the brutal physical assault on Ibom Air crew members and the attempted use of a fire extinguisher as a weapon, constitute one of the most severe cases of unruly passenger behaviour witnessed this year.
“This was not just disruptive, it was a sustained, violent attack that placed the lives of crew, passengers and the integrity of the aircraft itself at risk. This behaviour is unacceptable. Therefore, effective immediately, the AON has placed Emmanson on its ‘no fly’ list indefinitely.
‘’She is hereby banned from flying with any AON member, either domestically or internationally, for life. Such incidents have become one too many, with the most recent being the incident involving Nigerian musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal on Valuelet and the unruly behaviour of Senator Adams Oshiomhole towards the members of staff of Air Peace.”
Keyamo condemns release of indecent footage, says staff to face sanctions
The Minister, who directed that whoever released that part of the video among the staff be singled out and sanctioned, said it was unacceptable.
The minister, in a statement said: “Apart from the indefinite flight ban imposed on the said unruly passenger (both local and international) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the police has promptly arraigned her this morning (yesterday) at Ikeja Magistrates Court for criminal offences and remanded her at Kirikiri prison as she could not provide adequate sureties in court. I have attached the charge sheet and remand order for clarity.
“We also note the scuffle that took place between the unruly passenger and ground personnel before she was eventually subdued. This was because of her uncooperative attitude.
‘’Whilst we support the filming of her recalcitrant behaviour as evidence to prosecute her, what is deplorable is to release such evidence containing indecent exposure to the public to ridicule her. That is totally unacceptable to us.
‘’We will not fold our arms and tolerate the debasing of womanhood. I have, therefore, directed that whoever released that part of the video containing the indecent exposure among the staff be singled out and adequately sanctioned.
“I have also directed that the airlines must continue to train and retrain their staff in public relations and how to deal with potentially explosive situations in order to diffuse them promptly or nip them in the bud, except when it becomes inevitable.”
How refusal to put off phone escalated matter -Ibom Air
The airline in the statement, explained that the scene at the Lagos Airport which saw security operatives force down a female passenger on an Uyo-Lagos flight on Sunday escalated from refusal to put off her phone before takeoff.
Alleging that the passenger’s conduct posed threat to safety of the crew, passengers and aircraft, Ibom Air narrated that, “Shortly before take-off from Uyo, Ms. Bob was instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures to switch off her mobile phone.
“She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off. This action prompted a verbal tirade from Ms. Bob. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.
“Upon arrival in Lagos, Ms. Bob waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront the Purser, who had earlier instructed her. She walked up to the unsuspecting Purser, stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses and threw it to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her.
“She slapped her several times and when the other cabin crew member tried to intervene, she slapped her too. She then attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.”
Double Standards: Obi condemns treatment meted to unruly passenger
Obi on this X, noted that both developments were indicative of double standards that poison Nigeria’s justice system.
His words: “The unfortunate and dishonourable drama witnessed in Ibom Air has again brought to the fore the double standards in our lives and the inadequacies of our various security operatives in acting decently and in a civilised manner.
“I want to start by sincerely apologising to the Ibom Air crew who were assaulted by Miss Comfort Bob (Emmanson). We must, as a society, learn and uphold good conduct, as it is a true measure of success and decent living.
“However, I must equally strongly condemn the dehumanising treatment meted out to this young woman. Stripping her publicly was not only unnecessary but also represents the height of rascality and abuse by our agencies. It is unacceptable that she was hurriedly taken to court and remanded, while someone who visibly held a plane from taking off and put hundreds of lives at risk is still at large, with government agencies and some state officials speaking up for him to be forgiven.
“This case is not just about one young woman, it is about the double standards that poison our justice system. Justice in Nigeria must never be about who is poor or powerless versus who has influence or access to government officials.
“While Ms. Comfort Bob is in jail, the other offender who committed a more severe offence has not been held to the same standard. He has neither been arrested nor arraigned in any court.
“We must build a country where justice is fair, equal, and not selective, especially against women who are seen to be weaker. This young lady’s offence does not compare to the crimes committed daily by those parading themselves as excellencies while looting public funds without consequence, and yet they have not been stripped or dehumanised in the name of justice.
“We must end this selective treatment of the poor or less privileged. If justice must be served, it should be served to all, and it must be served fairly. The Minister of Aviation and other relevant authorities owe the public an explanation for these double standards in their adjudication.
“Justice must be just, or it is nothing at all. The rule of law based on justice for all must remain the guidepost of our democracy,” he added.
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By Egufe Yafugborhi & Dickson Omobola Female passenger, Comfort Bob, who allegedly assaulted Ibom Air’s crew and clashed with airport security at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, has been remanded at Kirikiri Maxi-mum Security prison in Lagos. The 26-year-old woman, yesterday, appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba, Lagos, for allegedly causing […]
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