The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Tuesday rose up in strong condemnation of the treatment meted out to an air passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, by officials of Ibom Air.

Ms Emmanson was on Monday remanded in the Kirikiri Maximum Prison by a Lagos High Court, pending her arraignment on October 6, 2025.

Her remand was sequel to a five-count criminal charge bordering on alleged assault of a hostess of Ibom Airlines and wilful damage of property.

A viral video of an incident aboard the Ibom Air flight on August 10, 2025, had flooded the social media showing an altercation between the female passenger and the Purser of the aircraft which flew Emmanson from Uyo, the capital of Akwa-Ibom State, to Lagos and how she was bundled out of the aircraft by officials over alleged unruly behaviour.

Reacting, the umbrella body for legal practitioners in the country condemned the way and manner the airline handled the issue, as well as the subsequent lifetime flight ban imposed on Ms Emmanson by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

According to the NBA, ?These actions are heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity.?

The body, in a statement signed by its National President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) and General Secretary, Dr Mobolaji Ojibara, stated that as ?deeply disturbing? the fact that Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped of her clothing in public, and subjected to humiliation that was filmed and circulated online.

?Such conduct is degrading, violates her right to dignity and privacy, and falls far short of the standards of civility and professionalism expected in the aviation sector. No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be treated in such a dehumanising manner,? it stressed.

The NBA observed that while Ibom Air has issued its own account of events, other video footage has emerged showing an Ibom Air hostess preventing Emmanson from alighting from the aircraft, describing the act as ?a conduct that could constitute false imprisonment and a possible provocation that escalated the situation?.

It argued that the situation makes it all the more critical that the matter be subjected to an independent, impartial investigation by the appropriate authorities before any disciplinary action is taken against her.

?The decision to impose a lifetime ban without affording Ms. Emmanson a fair opportunity to be heard is equally troubling. Ibom Air has so far only presented its own version of events without giving her the chance to respond.

?This one-sided process, culminating in a ban supported by AON, breaches the fundamental principle of fair hearing and renders the decision legally and morally indefensible. The power to suspend or restrict a passenger?s right to fly rests with the appropriate statutory regulator, not private associations or airline operators acting unilaterally,? it said.

NBA further pointed out that the photographing, dissemination and online circulation of indecent images of Emmanson is an egregious invasion of privacy and a criminal act, adding that even if the incident was to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited in such a way that it did not expose her nudity to the public.

It subsequently called for the identification and prosecution of all those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage, arguing that such acts erode public trust and undermine the rights of all citizens to be treated with dignity and respect.

?The NBA demands that Ibom Air immediately withdraw the lifetime ban, issue a public apology to Ms. Emmanson, and cooperate fully with an impartial investigation into this incident.

?We also call on the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough inquiry, sanction all those found culpable, and enforce strict compliance with established standards for the humane treatment of air passengers,? the statement read in part.

?The NBA stands ready to provide Ms. Emmanson with pro bono legal support to ensure her rights are protected and that she obtains redress for the violations suffered.

?We will not remain silent while the fundamental rights of any Nigerian are trampled upon, whether by public authorities, private corporations, or individuals. Respect for human dignity and the rule of law must never be compromised, and in this matter, justice must prevail,? the statement added. (THISDAY)

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