The failure of a Lagos-bound passenger, Miss Comfort Bob Emanson, on Ibom Air flight number LANS13 from Uyo to Lagos on Sunday, August 10, 2025, to comply with standard in-flight safety instructions led to a heated altercation with crew members, which later degenerated to assault and then arraignment of the passenger.
The passenger, Emanson, 26, reportedly ignored repeated instructions from flight attendant Juliana Edward to switch off her mobile phone before take-off at about 10:45 a.m. Efforts by a co-passenger seated beside her to intervene were unsuccessful.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Airport Command, a Chief Superintendent of Police, Daramola Kazeem, Emanson, visibly agitated, confronted Ms. Edward again after landing in Lagos.
She allegedly waited for other passengers to disembark before verbally abusing and physically attacking the crew member, stepping on her foot and slapping her. She was also said to have assaulted another crew member, Jokpame Sajun, by striking her in the face with a pair of slippers.
During the scuffle, the curtain separating the business and economy class sections was torn, and the suspect allegedly grabbed a fire extinguisher in an attempt to hit anyone in her path. Airport security intervened and handed her over to the police.
Following investigation, the suspect was arraigned on Monday, August 11, 2025, before Magistrate Salami of Magistrate Court 18, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, on a five-count charge. She pleaded not guilty, and the case was adjourned to October 6, 2025, for hearing. She was remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of her bail conditions.
