The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said the case involving Comfort Emmanson, the female passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew members, is different from the recent airport incident involving Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1.
Speaking during a live session on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, said Ibom Air acted on its own and was not directed by the NCAA to ban or prosecute Emmanson.
“The airline exercised its right based on the evidence available to it,” Achimugu said. “Nobody deserves to be beaten up or hit the way that cabin crew member was. Airlines have the right to protect their staff.”
Achimugu also said the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) acted within their rights in announcing a lifetime flight ban for Emmanson, adding that such decisions are often made based on available facts, even while investigations are still ongoing.
He added that NCAA did not issue any advisory to blacklist Emmanson and that AON, as a private body, can decide which passengers to ban.
“In the past, there have been other in-flight incidents that didn’t lead to sanctions because there was no clear evidence. This time, there’s video footage,” he explained.
On the comparison with KWAM 1, Achimugu said that although the Fuji star caused flight delays at ValueJet, the airline did not press charges, which limited NCAA’s actions. He confirmed that the NCAA has since petitioned the authorities to investigate KWAM 1’s conduct.
Achimugu also defended the actions of the Ibom Air cabin crew, saying restraining a violent passenger, even by blocking their path without physical contact, is acceptable under aviation safety practices.
He concluded by saying that while the situation may still be resolved peacefully, airlines and crew members also deserve protection and fair treatment.
