Court Clears Ibom Air Passenger as Police Withdraw Charges

In a surprising turn of events, an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court discharged Miss Comfort Emmanson of all charges, relating to unruly behaviour and assault aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos. The court struck out the five-count charge after the Police, acting on a directive from the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Airport Command, withdrew the case to allow for further investigation 

Miss Emmanson had previously been remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre after failing to meet bail conditions, which were set at N500,000 with two sureties one of whom had to be a blood relative with proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government. 

At the resumed hearing last week, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Oluwabunmi Adeitan informed the court that there were new developments necessitating the withdrawal of the charges. She tendered a formal application citing Section 72(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2015, requesting unconditional withdrawal for further investigation. The defence Counsel raised no objection. 

Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami formally struck out the charges, and discharged Emmanson. He cautioned her to exercise wisdom in the future, noting that she “might not be this fortunate in another matter”. 

The original charges against Emmanson included unruly behaviour in violation of Section 4(1)(a) and (2) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) by-law 2005, as well as physical assault on crew members and damage to cabin property ranging from slapping and shoe-striking to tearing a wig valued at N110,000 and damaging a cabin divider worth $2,500. 

This legal development unfolds, against a backdrop of public debate over airline passenger rights and aviation enforcement protocols. In related high-profile cases, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has engaged stakeholders to lift no-fly bans and emphasised de-escalation and careful treatment in handling such incidents. 

Human rights considerations, are also mounting. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has strongly criticised harsh enforcement tactics, calling for reforms and strict adherence to human dignity in all aviation-related interactions. They cautioned against abusive treatment or degrading exposure of passengers, terms which could amount to violations under Nigeria’s Anti-Torture Act, 2017.

Miss Emmanson was released from custody last week, following the court’s decision. Meanwhile, the Police have confirmed that investigations into the incident remain open, and additional findings may determine subsequent actions.