Ibom Air: Keyamo Assures Of Sanctions For Staff For Sharing Footage Of Assaulted Female Passenger

By Pelumi Ameen

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has said staff who recorded and shared the video with a female passenger on Ibom Air, Comfort Emmanson, in a torn shirt with her chest exposed will be sanctioned.

Keyamo, who directed that whoever released that part of the video among the staff be singled out and sanctioned, said it was unacceptable.

He stated: “Apart from the indefinite flight ban imposed on the said unruly passenger (both local and international) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the police has promptly arraigned her this morning at the Ikeja Magistrates Court for criminal offences and remanded her at Kirikiri prison as she could not provide adequate sureties in court. I have attached the Charge Sheet and Remand Order for clarity.

“We also note the scuffle that took place between the unruly passenger and ground personnel before she was eventually subdued. This was because of her uncooperative attitude. Whilst we support the filming of her recalcitrant behaviour as evidence to prosecute her, what is deplorable is to release such evidence containing indecent exposure to the public to ridicule her. That is totally unacceptable to us. We will not fold our arms and tolerate the debasing of womanhood. I have therefore directed that whoever released that part of the video containing the indecent exposure amongst the staff should be singled out and adequately sanctioned.

“I have also directed that the airlines must continue to train and retrain their staff in public relations and how to deal with potentially explosive situations in order to diffuse them promptly or nip them in the bud, except when it becomes inevitable. I have also directed a joint security meeting between relevant agencies next week for better coordination of security measures in situations like this or similar ones we witnessed recently.

“For genuinely aggrieved passengers, there are clearly laid-down remedies to address grievances. The Consumer Protection Directorate of the NCAA has consistently advertised these remedies and there is no point trying to take the laws into one’s hands that may lead to dire consequences.”