The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for the immediate withdrawal of the lifetime flight ban imposed on Ms. Comfort Emmanson by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), describing the airline’s handling of the incident as unlawful, degrading, and a violation of her fundamental rights.
The association also offered to provide Ms. Emmanson with free legal representation “to ensure her rights are protected and that she obtains redress for the violations suffered.
In a statement signed by NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, the association condemned the events of 10 August 2025 aboard an Ibom Air flight, where Ms. Emmanson was “forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped of her clothing in public, and subjected to humiliation that was filmed and circulated online.”
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According to the NBA, “Such conduct is degrading, violates her right to dignity and privacy, and falls far short of the standards of civility and professionalism expected in the aviation sector. No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be treated in such a dehumanising manner.”
The association said that while Ibom Air had issued its own account of events, “other video footage has emerged showing an Ibom Air hostess preventing Ms. Emmanson from alighting from the aircraft, a conduct that could constitute false imprisonment and a possible provocation that escalated the situation.”
The statement added that these circumstances made it “critical that the matter be subjected to an independent, impartial investigation by the appropriate authorities before any disciplinary action is taken against her.”
The NBA criticised the lifetime ban as a decision reached “without affording Ms. Emmanson a fair opportunity to be heard.”
The statement said, “This one-sided process, culminating in a ban supported by AON, breaches the fundamental principle of fair hearing and renders the decision legally and morally indefensible. The power to suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly rests with the appropriate statutory regulator, not private associations or airline operators acting unilaterally.”
On the circulation of footage showing Ms. Emmanson partially unclothed, the NBA said, “The photographing, dissemination, and online circulation of indecent images of Ms. Emmanson is an egregious invasion of privacy and a criminal act. Even if the incident was to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited in such a way that it did not expose her nudity to the public. Those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage must be identified and prosecuted.”
The association urged Ibom Air to “immediately withdraw the lifetime ban, issue a public apology to Ms. Emmanson, and cooperate fully with an impartial investigation into this incident.”
It also called on the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and relevant security agencies to “conduct a thorough inquiry, sanction all those found culpable, and enforce strict compliance with established standards for the humane treatment of air passengers.
