The Ibom Air female passenger who went viral after a heated altercation on an aircraft, Comfort Emmanson, has finally spoken, sharing her part of the story.
Emmanson became a social media hit on
August 10, after video clips surfaced online showing her attacking a flight attendant and confronting airport security officials.
The airline stated that the altercation when she refused to switch off her phone, a violation of aviation safety rules.
After another passenger helped turn off the device, she allegedly flew into a rage.
On arriving in Lagos, Emmanson was accused of assaulting a flight attendant.
As a result, Ibom Air banned her from flying with the airline, while the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) placed her on a lifetime “no-fly” list, citing her behaviour as “one of the worst cases of passenger misconduct this year”.
After being remanded at Kirikiri Prison over assault charges, Emmanson was freed when the court struck out the case.
However in an Instagram post, Emmanson maintained that she did not refuse to switch off her phone but only struggled because the power button was faulty.
She claimed that although a fellow passenger eventually helped her switch off the phone, the air hostess left with a threat, saying, “You will see.”
Emmanson said that she didn’t take it seriously until they landed d in Lagos, where she was stopped from alighting without explanation.
“On August 10, I boarded a flight from Uyo to Lagos. During the usual pre-flight checks, a flight attendant named Juliana got to my seat. I was already struggling to put my phone on flight mode, but she insisted that I switch it off completely,” she said.
“I explained that one of my phones had a faulty power button, but she told me I could still switch it off through the settings.
“The man sitting beside me helped me turn it off because, honestly, her facial expression discouraged me from asking her directly. Afterwards, I told her the phone was off, but before leaving, she said, ‘You will see.’ I didn’t take it seriously at that point.”
“When we landed in Lagos, I was pressed and went to use the toilet, but since someone was inside, I had to wait. By the time I came out, most passengers had already left.
“I tried to rush out too, but Juliana stopped me without giving a clear reason
She owned up that out of anger and pain from being dragged and humiliated, she reacted by attacking the men and the air hostess.
She said the viral video exposing her private part has been “deeply traumatic”, leaving her struggling to return to her normal life.
“I started recording because I didn’t understand why she was holding me back. When she noticed, she pushed me, dragged my frontal, tore my clothes, broke my chain, and insulted me, even calling me a prostitute,” she added.
“In the process, my phones got damaged. Out of anger and pain, I poked her back. I admit I wouldn’t have done that if I weren’t provoked.
“After that, some men dragged me out roughly, pulling at my clothes until my body was exposed. Cameras were everywhere, and people were recording me. It was humiliating.
“Later, I saw those videos online, with my body exposed, and some people even made stickers out of them. The trauma has been overwhelming. I can hardly go out because I feel ashamed that my body is all over the internet.
“I don’t know how I’ll return to my job. Imagine trying to sell a house, and people are looking at me differently because of those videos.
“I keep thinking about my future husband, my children, and my reputation.
“What happened on the flight wasn’t a big deal, so I never expected it to escalate this way. But now people mock me everywhere, and I honestly don’t know how to move on. I’m not a troublesome person or a nuisance.”
