The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said the case involving Comfort Emmanson—the passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew members—is different from the incident involving Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, made the clarification during an X Space session on Monday. He stressed that the regulatory body neither directed Ibom Air to prosecute Emmanson nor to impose a travel ban, noting that the airline acted on its own based on evidence available at the time.
“In this case, the airline exercised its right to take necessary action. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), relying on the evidence available, also acted within its rights,” Achimugu said. “When you see a passenger assault a cabin crew member in the manner captured in this incident, and even resist those trying to restrain her, the airline is justified in announcing a ban. The ban could later be shortened or lifted, but at that moment, it was a reasonable step.”
He emphasised that airline employees are human beings who deserve respect and should not be subjected to physical assault while performing their duties.
Achimugu also highlighted the importance of evidence in such cases, citing a past incident where three drunk passengers caused a mid-air disturbance between London and Nigeria. “Air Peace still feels aggrieved that no advisory was issued to blacklist those passengers, but in that case, there was no evidence available to the NCAA. It became a matter of one person’s word against another,” he said.
According to him, while Ibom Air promptly charged Emmanson to court, ValueJet did not take similar legal action in the KWAM 1 case, which led the NCAA to petition the authorities.
“The airline has every right to seek prosecution, and the matter could still be settled amicably,” Achimugu noted. He explained that cabin crew are responsible not just for passenger comfort, but also for safety and security on board. Restraining an unruly passenger—whether physically or by blocking their path—can be part of ensuring order on the aircraft.
He added that standard practices for handling unruly passengers may evolve over time. “There are different ways to restrain a passenger, and these practices can change,” he said.
