NBA condemns treatment of Comfort Emmanson by Ibom Air, promises legal support

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the umbrella body of legal practitioners in the country, has condemned the treatment of Comfort Emmanson, the passenger who was involved in an incident that occurred aboard an Ibom Air Flight on Sunday.

NBA, in a statement that was jointly signed by Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and Mobolaji Ojibara, its President and Secretary-General, also described the lifetime flight ban imposed on the passenger by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, as arbitrary and unjust.

According to the legal body, the actions were heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity.

Read also: NCAA calls for witness accounts in Ibom Air Uyo–Lagos flight

Noting that the embattled passenger was not afforded a fair hearing before she was slammed with the punitive actions, the NBA, while demanding an independent investigation, urged an immediate withdrawal of the lifetime flight ban.

Likewise, the NBA called for the arrest and prosecution of those who recorded and distributed the unedited footage that exposed Emmanson’s nudity to the public.

The association pledged to provide her with pro bono (free) legal support not only to guarantee the protection of her rights, but to ensure that she obtained redress for the violations she suffered.

It said: “It is deeply disturbing that Ms. Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped of her clothing in public, and subjected to humiliation that was filmed and circulated online.

“Such conduct is degrading, violates her right to dignity and privacy, and falls far short of the standards of civility and professionalism expected in the aviation sector.

“No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be treated in such a dehumanising manner.

“While Ibom Air has issued its account of events, other video footage has emerged showing an Ibom Air hostess preventing Ms. Emmanson from alighting from the aircraft, a conduct that could constitute false imprisonment and a possible provocation that escalated the situation.

“This makes it all the more critical that the matter be subjected to an independent, impartial investigation by the appropriate authorities before any disciplinary action is taken against her.

“The decision to impose a lifetime ban without affording Ms. Emmanson a fair opportunity to be heard is equally troubling.

“Ibom Air has so far only presented its version of events without giving her the chance to respond. This one-sided process, culminating in a ban supported by AON, breaches the fundamental principle of fair hearing and renders the decision legally and morally indefensible.

The statement noted that the power to suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly rests with the appropriate statutory regulator, not private associations or airline operators acting unilaterally.

“The photographing, dissemination, and online circulation of indecent images of Ms. Emmanson is also an egregious invasion of privacy and a criminal act.

“Even if the incident was to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited in such a way that it did not expose her nudity to the public.

“Those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage must be identified and prosecuted.

“Such acts erode public trust and undermine the rights of all citizens to be treated with dignity and respect.

Read also: CSO faults Ibom Air, offers free legal services to Comfort Emmanson

The NBA also demanded that Ibom Air immediately withdraw the lifetime ban, issue a public apology to Emmanson, and cooperate fully with an impartial investigation into this incident.

“We also call on the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough inquiry, sanction all those found culpable, and enforce strict compliance with established standards for the humane treatment of air passengers.

“The NBA stands ready to provide Ms. Emmanson with pro bono legal support to ensure her rights are protected and that she obtains redress for the violations suffered.

“We will not remain silent while the fundamental rights of any Nigerian are trampled upon, whether by public authorities, private corporations, or individuals. Respect for human dignity and the rule of law must never be compromised, and in this matter, justice must prevail,” the statement further read.