Fatima Idera
The withdrawal of criminal charges against Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew, has got many Nigerians talking. The incident happened at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, upon the flight arrival from Uyo.
The passenger was said to have been told to switch off her phone while on board but allegedly refused.
However, before Emmanson was discharged by the court upon order to withdraw cases leveled against her by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, Emmanson had been detained in Kirikiri.
Before hers was that of popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as Kwam 1, who allegedly spilt alcohol on an aviation security officer who attempted to inspect the contents of a flask he was carrying thereby disrupting flight movement.
The singer was said to have contravened Civil Aviation Act and was placed on ‘no-fly’ ban till further notice. The singer, however, had since apologised for his action.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday by Keyamo, among several other decisions reached among stakeholders in aviation, KWAM 1’s ban was reduced to one month. The federal government also announced plans to engage in naming the singer an ambassador for airport security protocol.
These decisions sparked a wave of reactions from Nigerians, with many accusing the authorities of double standards and selective justice.
In an interview with Barrister Yusuf Nurudeen, on the incidents, said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has powers to prosecute for both civil and criminal breaches against the provisions of the act.
The legal practitioner added that the aviation authority has power to “punish people who interfere with the activities of airline staff, including pilots and air hostesses.”
While referring to several parts of the NCAA Act, the Barrister said Keyamo’s orders on the incidents are constitutional.
He added that the minister in both cases exercised the power given to him by the president in Section 5 of the country’s constitution.
Speaking further, Nurudeen said Keyamo’s power exercised in both both cases of Emmanson and KWAM 1 airline incidents fall under administrative power because the board, where the minister has a prominent function, has been directed following power to regulate the affairs of the Civil Aviation Authority, according to section 84.
Speaking on Emmanson’s case, he said the proper thing has been done by withdrawing the case, adding that the federal government “has the power to recommend punishment. They also have the power to withdraw.”
Obi, Sowore react to Emmanson, KWAM 1 incidents
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party has also reacted to the incident involving Ibom Air and Emmanson.
In his statement, Obi stressed that “the poor must not be punished while the powerful walk free,” indirectly referring to unpunished KWAM 1.
In a post on X, he said, “the law is like a spider’s web; it catches the weak, while the powerful break through with ease.”
Describing the matter as a “tragic irony,” the former Anambra State governor condemned the possibility of banning a young woman in her twenties for life, “while we, her parents, commit worse crimes against humanity and are celebrated.”
Also Omoyele Sowore, a freedom fighter and activist, while commenting on the treatment of Emmanson, tweeted that things were wrong with how she was handled after being accused of slapping a flight attendant on an Ibom Air flight.
The former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, (AAC) criticised the continued harassment of adult passengers by Nigerian flight attendants over switching off their phones, noting that such demands often involve shaming or humiliating travellers.
“In the United States, for instance, no one has asked me to switch off my phone in the last ten years because airlines now encourage in-flight internet use. I have livestreamed take-offs and landings in the US as recently as 2024. I have also spoken to friends on calls and exchanged WhatsApp messages mid-flight countless times in the past year,” he said.
He described the public sexual humiliation to which Emmason was subjected far more egregious, adding that the passenger was stripped of her dignity in a manner likely to cause lasting trauma, despite the fact that the situation could have been resolved without such violence, force, or degrading treatment.
Sowore also berated the arbitrary legal persecution that followed the case of the Ibom Air passenger.
Netizens react
Nigerians on social media have also reacted to the incidents, expressing their thoughts and opinions.
Unyime Edet, claimed the government was under pressure to protect KWAM 1 due to his political connections, accusing the minister of failing to address compensation for Comfort after she was allegedly stripped and humiliated.
“You are afraid of jailing Kwam 1 because he is from Yoruba and the President’s right-hand man. Partiality of the highest order,” Edet wrote, adding that such actions reinforced global perceptions of Nigeria as a corrupt nation.
Mervin, another social media user, described the decision as “a desperate balancing act” to shield the influential musician, arguing that Comfort’s release only came because Kwam 1’s own case attracted public outrage.
“This selective compassion exposes a troubling reality: our laws lack genuine fairness, offering leniency only when it suits the narrative or protects the powerful,” Mervin lamented.
Dr. Arowolo Ayoola, reacted with sarcasm, likening the development to the “season finale” of a drama series. “KWAM 2: From Kirikiri to home, thank God for compassion. KWAM 1: From airport wahala to official Airport Behaviour Ambassador, thank God for connection,” he wrote, before quipping, “Minister drops mic: ‘We have drawn the line.’”
Toma To Shun, questioned why there was no mention of compensation for Emmason over her alleged public humiliation. “I knew the lady would have threatened you or your association to withdraw the case. IT IS WELL!” she wrote.
Another user, Soft Life Baby, noted that everyone in the saga faced some form of sanction except the air hostess accused of acting unprofessionally. “Why is nothing being done to her despite all the evidence from other passengers?” they asked.
DevonAjala, raised concerns about Comfort’s dignity, pointing out that her alleged nudity was recorded and circulated online. “This is not justice. This is merely covering the shame of the aviation industry,” they argued.
Samuel Iduh approached the matter from a legal perspective, questioning whether Nigerian civil aviation law permits an airline to detain a passenger onboard after landing. He warned that such actions could amount to unlawful confinement, violating the right to personal liberty.
Despite the government’s attempt to resolve the matter and Keyamo’s assurance that safety and security remain paramount, many Nigerians remain unconvinced. For them, the decision has done little to restore public trust in the fairness of the justice system, especially when powerful figures appear to receive softer treatment than ordinary citizens.
