Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger whose mid-air altercation sparked widespread debate and viral videos, has finally spoken publicly about the incident that left her banned from flying with multiple airlines and battling personal trauma.
The clash occurred on August 10, when Emmanson was filmed engaging in a heated exchange with a flight attendant identified as Juliana and later confronting airport security officials.
According to Ibom Air, the row started before takeoff when she allegedly refused to switch off her phone in defiance of aviation safety regulations.
However, in an emotional Instagram post, Emmanson rejected that narrative, insisting she did not willfully flout instructions.
“On August 10, I boarded a flight from Uyo to Lagos. During the usual pre-flight checks, a flight attendant named Juliana got to my seat. I was already struggling to put my phone on flight mode, but she insisted that I switch it off completely,” she explained.
“I explained that one of my phones had a faulty power button, but she told me I could still switch it off through the settings. The man sitting beside me helped me turn it off because, honestly, her facial expression discouraged me from asking her directly. Afterwards, I told her the phone was off, but before leaving, she said, ‘You will see.’ I didn’t take it seriously at that point.”
The situation worsened upon landing in Lagos, where Emmanson said she was stopped without explanation as she attempted to leave the aircraft.
“When we landed in Lagos, I was pressed and went to use the toilet, but since someone was inside, I had to wait. By the time I came out, most passengers had already left. I tried to rush out too, but Juliana stopped me without giving a clear reason,” she said.
The encounter spiraled into physical confrontation, with videos showing Emmanson being restrained, dragged, and partially stripped in the process. She admitted she reacted in anger but blamed provocation for her response.
“I started recording because I didn’t understand why she was holding me back. When she noticed, she pushed me, dragged my frontal, tore my clothes, broke my chain, and insulted me, even calling me a prostitute,” she recounted.
“In the process, my phones got damaged. Out of anger and pain, I poked her back. I admit I wouldn’t have done that if I weren’t provoked. After that, some men dragged me out roughly, pulling at my clothes until my body was exposed. Cameras were everywhere, and people were recording me. It was humiliating.”
The videos quickly spread online, with clips of her exposed body circulating across platforms. Emmanson said the fallout has left her struggling with shame and emotional distress.
“Later, I saw those videos online, with my body exposed, and some people even made stickers out of them. The trauma has been overwhelming. I can hardly go out because I feel ashamed that my body is all over the internet. I don’t know how I’ll return to my job. Imagine trying to sell a house, and people are looking at me differently because of those videos,” she said.
She added that her future, family reputation, and dignity had been jeopardized by what she described as an avoidable escalation.
“I keep thinking about my future husband, my children, and my reputation. What happened on the flight wasn’t a big deal, so I never expected it to escalate this way. But now people mock me everywhere, and I honestly don’t know how to move on. I’m not a troublesome person or a nuisance,” Emmanson stressed.
Following the incident, Ibom Air banned her from its services, while the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) placed her on a lifetime no-fly list, describing the episode as “one of the worst cases of passenger misconduct this year.”
She was also remanded at Kirikiri Prison before the case was eventually dismissed in court, leading to her release.
