Comfort Emmanson, a real estate consultant and passenger at the center of a controversial Ibom Air incident, has shared her detailed account of the events that led to her arrest, arraignment, and eventual discharge by a Lagos court.
In a video posted on her Instagram page on Sunday, Emmanson expressed deep gratitude to her supporters, describing the experience as “traumatic.”
According to her narration, the incident occurred on August 10, 2025, during a flight from Uyo to Lagos. She claimed the dispute began when a flight attendant, identified as Juliana, insisted she switch off her phone instead of leaving it on flight mode. Emmanson explained that one of her phones had a faulty power button, which complicated the situation.
“I showed her the phone and told her the power button was bad. She said I could still switch it off through the settings. With the help of a fellow passenger, I eventually managed to switch off both phones,” she recounted.
Escalation in Lagos
The disagreement reportedly intensified upon landing in Lagos. Emmanson said she briefly stepped away to use the restroom, but upon returning to disembark, the crew member prevented her from exiting.
“She didn’t say anything to me. She stared at me with a bad eye. I picked up my phone and started recording. That was when she pushed me back inside the aircraft, dragged my wig frontal, tore my clothes and broke my necklace. The pain was unbearable,” she narrated.
She alleged that she was manhandled, stripped in public, and humiliated as videos were taken of her exposed body. “They tore my clothes, exposed my body, and people were taking videos. I felt humiliated. Like, the trauma is so much on me because I cannot even go out freely anymore,” she lamented.
Emmanson insisted that her reaction was only a response to the assault. “God knows I would never poke an elderly woman old enough to be my mother. It was the pain she inflicted on me, dragging my wig and stripping me in public, that made me react.”
Clarifying the Narrative
Following the viral clips and online backlash, Emmanson addressed what she described as “false narratives” surrounding the altercation, including claims that her ordeal was politically motivated.
“There have been lots of narratives being pushed about the incident, even by respected individuals, some claiming my suffering was political. These are all false,” she stated.
She expressed her desire to move past the incident, apologised for her reaction, and maintained that her actions stemmed from pain and humiliation.
“I apologise about my behaviour, I am not crazy, neither am I wayward. I have never been in such a situation in my life, and I don’t wish it on my enemy,” she wrote.
What you should know
Comfort Emmanson is a Nigerian real estate consultant whose altercation with Ibom Air staff drew widespread attention after viral videos showed her being dragged off a flight with torn clothes.
Though initially arrested and charged, a Lagos court later discharged her. She maintains that she was a victim of assault and public humiliation during the ordeal.
