Nigerian airline Ibom Air has issued a lifetime travel ban to a female passenger, Ms Comfort Emmanson, after she violently assaulted cabin crew and security personnel, and attempted to use a fire extinguisher as a weapon during and after a scheduled flight.
The airline, in a statement on Monday, said the incident occurred on Sunday, August 10, 2025, aboard its Uyo–Lagos service. Trouble reportedly began when Ms Emmanson refused to switch off her mobile phone before take-off, ignoring repeated instructions from crew members.
Upon arrival in Lagos, she allegedly approached the Purser, stepped on her, forcibly removed her wig and glasses, threw them to the floor, and struck her repeatedly with her footwear. She also slapped another cabin crew member who tried to intervene.
Ibom Air said she then attempted to pull out a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon — an act that could have damaged the aircraft. Viral videos from the incident show the Purser preventing her from leaving the plane until security arrived.
When airport security personnel boarded, she reportedly lashed out violently, attacking both Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) officers and Ibom Air staff, including the ground supervisor. She was eventually restrained and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation.
The airline has also notified the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for any conduct that threatens passenger, crew, or equipment safety.
The NCAA has since reminded travellers that air travel comes with responsibilities as well as rights, warning that unruly behaviour will attract severe sanctions.
This incident comes less than a week after Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM1, was banned from flying with ValueJet over a separate altercation with airline staff in Abuja on August 5, 2025.
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