NCAA Questions Passenger in Ibom Air Altercation Probe

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday continued its investigation into the altercation involving passenger Comfort Emmanson aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, with the passenger appearing before the regulatory body in Abuja.

Confirming the development, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, told newsmen that the Authority had already met with Emmanson, who attended the session accompanied by her lawyer.

Earlier in a statement posted on X, Achimugu disclosed that several NCAA directorates including Aviation Security, Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Legal, and Consumer Protection were working together to ensure a transparent and impartial process.

“Yesterday in Abuja, the NCAA team met with Julie Edwards and other members of the Ibom Air crew involved in the incident. Later today, Comfort Emmanson, the passenger, will be meeting with the Authority. She is being accompanied by her lawyer” Achimugu had written.

He later confirmed to newsmen: “We have met with her. As we proceed, I will continue to provide updates”.

The incident, which gained wide attention after a viral video surfaced online, showed Emmanson in a heated confrontation with airline staff, culminating in a clash at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

While Emmanson was initially charged to court and handed a lifetime no-fly ban by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the sanction was eventually rescinded and the case formally withdrawn.