- NBA offers legal support to Comfort Emmanson, citing abuse of rights and dignity
- Condemns Ibom Air’s lifetime ban without due process; calls it unlawful
- Demands prosecution over viral video showing passenger’s nudity during removal
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly criticised the handling of an incident involving Ms. Comfort Emmanson aboard an Ibom Air flight.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the MBA described the actions taken against her as a gross violation of her fundamental rights.
- Disabled Protesters Block Access to Lagos Airport, Cause Major Traffic Chaos
- IATA Welcomes Heathrow Expansion but Questions Operator’s Track Record
- ADC Welcomes Amaechi, Secondus
In a statement jointly signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), and General Secretary, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, the NBA expressed deep concern over the manner in which Ms. Emmanson was allegedly treated.
The association alleged that the passenger was forcefully removed from the aircraft, stripped publicly, and subjected to humiliation, with parts of the incident captured on video and circulated online.
According to the NBA, such treatment amounts to degrading and unlawful conduct, and represents a serious breach of human dignity and the rule of law.
The association also faulted the lifetime flying ban imposed on Emmanson by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), insisting that the decision was made without offering her a fair hearing.
The NBA emphasized that only the appropriate aviation regulatory body holds the authority to restrict or suspend a passenger’s right to fly not a private airline or industry association.
Referencing a video that reportedly shows a flight attendant preventing Emmanson from exiting the plane, the NBA suggested that such action could amount to false imprisonment and may have escalated the situation unnecessarily.
The lawyers’ body further condemned the public circulation of footage showing the passenger’s nudity, calling it a gross invasion of privacy and demanding that those responsible for recording and sharing the video be brought to justice.
While calling for an independent investigation into the incident, the NBA demanded that Ibom Air immediately withdraw the lifetime ban, issue a formal apology to Emmanson, and fully cooperate with relevant authorities.
The association also called on the Ministry of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and other relevant security agencies to conduct a transparent investigation and ensure accountability.
FURTHER READING
