The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has intensified investigations into the high-profile altercation between Ibom Air crew and passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, whose ordeal at the Lagos airport drew nationwide attention after a disturbing video surfaced online.
The probe began on August 20, 2025, when NCAA officials met with Ibom Air management and crew members at the Authority’s Abuja headquarters. The session granted fair hearing to air hostess Juliana Edwards, who was allegedly assaulted during the Uyo–Lagos flight that escalated into a heated confrontation at the terminal. The following day, Ms. Emmanson, accompanied by her lawyer, appeared before an NCAA panel at the Lagos Regional Office to present her account of the incident.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, confirmed that fresh information emerged from Emmanson’s testimony, including eyewitness accounts from the airport terminal before boarding. “The Authority’s role is not to act as a court but to piece together every account—the crew’s, the passenger’s, and other actors’—so that we can understand what really happened and put safeguards in place to prevent a recurrence,” he explained.
Although the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has already intervened to mediate peace between the parties—leading to Ibom Air’s withdrawal of criminal charges against Emmanson—NCAA maintains that its regulatory process will run its full course. Officials stressed that the Authority’s priority is not just to resolve disputes but to ensure both passenger rights and crew welfare remain fully protected.
The Authority is working with its directorates of Aviation Security, Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Legal, and Consumer Protection to ensure an impartial and comprehensive review. While acknowledging that emotions ran high during the incident, NCAA has emphasized the need for professionalism, discipline, and strict adherence to safety protocols from both passengers and airline staff.
In response to this case and other recent incidents of unruly behavior, NCAA has also issued a new industry-wide directive: all mobile phones and electronic devices must now be completely switched off during takeoff and landing on Nigerian flights. The use of “flight mode” is no longer permitted. Airlines have additionally been tasked with strengthening staff training in conflict resolution to better manage such situations in the future.
“The case offers an opportunity to close gaps, strengthen the system, and reinforce the culture of safety that underpins aviation,” an NCAA spokesperson said. “Unruly behavior will not be tolerated, and everyone—crew and passengers alike—has a shared responsibility to ensure the safety and integrity of air travel.”
NCAA has promised to release preliminary findings in the coming days, with further recommendations and preventive measures expected once the full review is complete.
