The incident involving Comfort Emmanson, a passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew members and security operatives, sparked nationwide debate after a viral video showed her being forcefully lifted from the aircraft.
The footage showed Emmanson half-naked while being dragged, and had since widespread criticism on the part of the passenger and airline crew.
The clash between Emmanson and the air hostess reportedly began when the passenger allegedly refused to switch off her mobile phone during take-off procedures at the Uyo Airport, despite repeated requests from the crew. The situation escalated upon arrival at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
This came just a few days after Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as Kwam 1, allegedly attempted to stop an aircraft from taking off.
Reacting to the incident, Abuja-based clinical and organisational psychologist, Jeph Oluwagbemiga, in an interview with The New Daily Prime, described the incident as “an unfortunate” with potentially severe psychological consequences for both the victim and the airline’s public image.
“That woman (Emmanson) has been traumatised,” he said, warning that without timely intervention, she could develop depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“When you are embarrassed, you are put under stress. Stress is the major entry point into mental health challenges. Stress simply means that your emotion, your body, your well-being is not able to meet the demands that are placed on you.
“Now, everybody, a lot who have seen the video, it has gone viral. That is stressful already for her. If she does not have a strong value system, a strong self-preservation system, she can crash. Some people can even come inside from this. People are writing all manner of their opinions online. If she reads some of these opinions, she might slide into depression. She will need help at this point,” he added.
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Oluwagbemiga who is the lead Consultant at Mindvalve Emporium stressed that in the short term, Emmanson is likely to experience embarrassment, stress, and anxiety—particularly when travelling or in public spaces.
Left untreated, these effects could progress into self-blame, social withdrawal, and long-term PTSD, with recurring nightmares or flashbacks.
He explained that Emmanson needs a proper mental health evaluation, background assessment, and psychotherapy to help her process the trauma.
“Depression simply means that the person is overweight so much that she does not have a grip of herself any longer. She might decide to stay indoors and not come out, not talk to anybody. She might not even take baths. She might just lose interest in everything. Those are still myths. But after a few months, she is still feeling the pain.
“Because there is an intervention to help them remove the pain or reduce the impact of that on them.”
Expert recommends training for airline staff
On the airline’s side, Oluwagbemiga noted that the incident could create a “bully airline” perception, especially among potential customers unfamiliar with Ibom Air’s service history.
He, however, recommends that all airline staff undergo targeted conflict-management training, as already suggested by the Minister of Aviation, to handle case-specific crises with emotional intelligence.
“The strategies are broad, but it’s also case-specific. So, people need to understand how to pacify an angry passenger. How to pacify an angry passenger, which is not easy, but it’s possible.
“It’s possible, because the person that approaches them will determine how violent that thing could be, or how less violent that thing could be. So, they are going for training now. I believe they will learn that in their training, because this thing can occur again.
“Because we are talking about human beings now. We cannot predict these people. We cannot predict these people because of the WHO data for 2019, they said that 25% of Nigerians have one form of mental disorder or another, with depression being one of the key ones,” he added.
The psychologist also emphasised that miscommunication and lack of empathy from airline personnel can quickly escalate tensions with passengers.
“Empathy is dry in Africa. Only a few people empathise. Empathy means putting yourself in the passenger’s shoes—recognising that they have spent significant money and deserve dignity,” he explained. “Clear, respectful communication prevents misunderstandings that could spiral into confrontation.”
Oluwagbemiga appealed for Nigerians to take their mental health seriously, recommending twice-yearly check-ups at government or private facilities.
“Our society is under immense economic and emotional strain,” he said. “Everyone of course needs to review and to go for a mental health check-up at least twice in a year, so that we know where we belong. We know if something has shifted. Don’t forget that the economy is hard.
“The economy is harsh. People are just putting up and patching up anyhow. One small thing can trigger them to do what they never thought they could do. Don’t forget that the airline people that even came to rescue her, have their own problems. I mean, to evacuate her, they have their own problems. And so, it’s not the key point of their focus.
“All their own internal anger. So, that’s the dynamics of mental health. And you don’t even know how negative your mental challenges are until the scenario brings it out.
