Ibom Air: Comfort Emmanson Speaks Out After Release from Kirikiri

Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger recently released from Kirikiri Correctional Centre, has spoken out for the first time since regaining her freedom, saying she is still in pain from the treatment she received during her arrest and detention.

Emmanson was discharged on Wednesday by Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami of the Lagos State Magistrate Court in Ogba after the police withdrew five charges of unruly behaviour and assault against her. The withdrawal followed the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), who said all parties had agreed to resolve the matter after consultations with key stakeholders in the aviation sector.

In a post on Instagram, Emmanson thanked her supporters for their prayers and love, writing that she needed rest and medical care before giving her full account of the August 10 incident. She was accused of refusing to switch off her phone before takeoff, engaging in a heated confrontation with the crew, and later assaulting the flight purser and security personnel after landing in Lagos. The incident led to her arrest and a lifetime ban from Nigerian airlines.

Her release came as Keyamo also announced that the six-month flight ban imposed on Fuji star Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as Kwam 1, had been reduced to one month, and that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority had withdrawn criminal complaints against him after he expressed remorse over a separate incident at Abuja airport. Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana criticised the government’s handling of Kwam 1’s case, saying it undermined the moral authority to prosecute future cases of unruly passengers.

Meanwhile, Emmanson has been offered a fully funded trip to Delta State and a job with a monthly salary of ₦500,000 by Ossai Ovie Success, founder of the Delta Social Media Summit. Success said the offer includes flights, five-star hotel accommodation, tours, and an invitation to attend the summit in Asaba on August 28, describing it as an opportunity for her to “unwind after her release.”