The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified that the case involving Comfort Emmanson, the female passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew members, is different from the recent incident involving Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, made this known during an X Space session on Monday, stressing that the aviation regulator neither directed the airline to prosecute nor impose a lifetime ban on Emmanson.
According to Achimugu, Ibom Air acted independently based on available evidence, while investigations into the matter are still ongoing.
“When you see a passenger hitting a cabin crew member in the way the lady was doing, and fighting those who came to restrain her, you may agree that the airline had every right to announce a ban,” he said.
He noted that while such bans could later be reviewed or lifted, airlines must also protect their staff, who deserve the same courtesy as passengers.
Recalling past incidents, Achimugu mentioned a case where three allegedly drunk passengers disrupted a London-to-Nigeria flight, yet no advisory was issued for their blacklisting due to insufficient evidence.
He stressed that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) is within its rights to blacklist passengers, adding that in Emmanson’s case, Ibom Air proceeded with court action, unlike ValueJet in KWAM 1’s matter—prompting the NCAA to petition the authorities.
Achimugu reiterated that cabin crew are responsible not only for passenger comfort but also for safety and security, and are within their rights to restrain unruly passengers using acceptable procedures.
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