Ibom Air Passenger Comfort Emmanson Stripped Naked in Violent Clash
A female passenger on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos was allegedly stripped naked during a chaotic confrontation with airline staff and airport security personnel.
The passenger, identified as Comfort Emmanson (also referred to as Comfort Bob in some reports), has been banned for life from flying with Ibom Air and other Nigerian airlines, while facing multiple criminal charges, including assault.
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However, the airline’s handling of the situation has drawn sharp condemnation for what many see as excessive force, dehumanization, and a blatant disregard for passenger dignity.
This event not only highlights the perils of unruly behaviour in aviation but also emphasizes deeper systemic issues in Nigeria’s handling of conflicts, where mob-like tactics often prevail over professionalism and human rights.
The altercation unfolded on August 10, 2025, aboard Ibom Air Flight IU 699, en route from Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
According to Ibom Air’s official statement released on August 11, Emmanson refused to comply with standard safety protocols by switching off her mobile phone during takeoff preparations. This refusal caused a delay, prompting the pilot to intervene via announcement.
A fellow passenger, frustrated by the hold-up, reportedly snatched Emmanson‘s phone and turned it off, allowing the flight to proceed. Tensions simmered during the flight but erupted upon landing in Lagos.
Emmanson allegedly waited for other passengers to disembark before confronting the female air hostess who had initially asked her to power down her device. Witnesses and the airline claim Emmanson launched a vicious assault: tearing off the hostess’s wig, smashing her eyeglasses, choking her, slapping her repeatedly, and even using her own slippers as a weapon.
When other cabin crew members attempted to intervene, Emmanson reportedly extended her aggression to them, slapping and kicking indiscriminately. The situation escalated further when Emmanson allegedly attempted to grab the aircraft’s emergency fire extinguisher to use as a weapon.
At this point, the pilot summoned airport security. Video footage circulating online shows security personnel bundling Emmanson out of the plane amid her fierce resistance.
In the struggle, her loose dress tore, leaving her partially naked and exposed to onlookers and cameras. She was then dragged across the tarmac, still resisting, and forced into a waiting vehicle en route to a police station.
The footage, which has gone viral on platforms, captures her humiliation in graphic detail, with her private parts visible as she is manhandled by multiple male security officers.
What exactly did this woman do that she was treated this way by Ibom Air officials?? Is this a Kwam 2 situation? https://t.co/OZU2an7oG1
— Pharaoh (@MrMekzy_) August 11, 2025
Post-incident, Emmanson continued her tirade, making phone calls and threatening to “shut down” the airline while assaulting more officials with slaps and shoves. She was arrested and charged with five counts, including assault, malicious damage, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
A Lagos court remanded her in Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending further hearings. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) swiftly imposed a lifetime no-fly ban on her, citing her actions as a threat to aviation safety.
Details about Emmanson‘s personal life remain sparse, as she is not a public figure; however, pieced-together information from social media discussions and reports paints a picture of an ordinary traveller thrust into infamy.
Believed to be in her 30s or 40s, Emmanson hails from Akwa Ibom State, the state of origin for the flight. Some online speculations suggest she may have been under the influence of substances, given her erratic behaviour, though no official toxicology reports have confirmed this. Others describe her as potentially entitled or stressed, but these claims lack substantiation.
Before the incident, there is no record of Emmanson having a history of such outbursts. However, her post-arrest threats to leverage connections echo a common trope in Nigerian society where individuals invoke “who I know” to evade consequences.
In one video snippet, she is heard shouting about dealing with the staff personally, which has fueled perceptions of her as aggressive and unrepentant. Emmanson‘s family has not publicly commented, leaving her isolated in the court of public opinion.
The video’s leak has sparked a firestorm on social media, with #IbomAir trending for over 24 hours. Many Nigerians condemned Emmanson‘s initial assault, drawing parallels to similar incidents, such as Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM1) K1 De Ultimate‘s 2023 flight disruption or Senator Adams Oshiomhole‘s 2024 airport standoff, where high-profile figures faced minimal repercussions.
However, the focus quickly shifted to Ibom Air and the security’s response. Critics argue that stripping a woman naked, even unintentionally during restraint, constitutes gender-based violence and a violation of her rights under Nigerian law and international human rights standards.
Calls for Emmanson to sue Ibom Air for assault, defamation (via the leaked video), and emotional distress are mounting, with legal experts suggesting she has a strong case. Conversely, some defended the airline, viewing Emmanson as a “casualty of her stupidity,” arguing that her resistance necessitated force.
Ibom Air’s Group Manager for Marketing and Communications, Aniekan Essienette, addressed the controversy in interviews, emphasizing staff safety but notably omitting the stripping from the official narrative.
Based on available facts, Emmanson‘s assault on staff is undeniable—corroborated by multiple videos and witness accounts—and warrants legal consequences. Aviation regulations under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) classify such behavior as a serious offense, justifying the ban and charges.
The truth here is that her refusal to comply escalated a routine procedure into violence, endangering others and disrupting operations. However, lies and omissions taint the airline’s account. Ibom Air’s statement conveniently skips the stripping, framing the incident as a straightforward ejection while ignoring how security’s aggressive bundling led to her exposure.
This selective narrative reeks of a cover-up, especially since the video leak—allegedly from within the airline or security—has only amplified the humiliation. Possible truths include Emmanson‘s potential mental health or substance issues, which could explain her irrationality, but without evidence, this remains speculative.
From a critical journalistic perspective, this incident condemns Ibom Air’s crisis management as amateurish and inhumane. Security personnel, trained for de-escalation, resorted to tactics reminiscent of street mob justice, stripping a woman in public view.
This is not just unprofessional; it’s barbaric and reflective of Nigeria’s broader culture of impunity in law enforcement. The airline must be held accountable—sanction those who leaked the video, issue a public apology, and reform protocols to prioritize restraint methods that preserve dignity.
In a politically incorrect vein, Emmanson‘s actions embody the entitled “big madam” syndrome plaguing Nigerian elites and pseudo-elites, where personal convenience trumps collective safety.
While the stripping is inexcusable and patriarchal in its humiliation of a woman, her unprovoked violence against underpaid female staff (the hostess) reveals a classist hypocrisy—assaulting the vulnerable while crying foul when consequences bite back.
Substantiated by similar cases like KWAM1‘s, where men often escape unscathed, this highlights a gendered double standard: Women like Emmanson are swiftly vilified and exposed, while male disruptors walk free.
Yet, in a lawless society like ours, where aviation staff face daily abuse, perhaps such forceful responses are the grim necessity until better training and accountability prevail.
This doesn’t justify the nudity leak, but it does call out Emmanson‘s role in her own downfall—she lit the match, and now we’re all watching the fire. Nigeria deserves better from both passengers and providers; until then, expect more scandals.
