NBA Frowns at Treatment of Comfort Emmanson, Offers Free Legal Service
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has denounced the treatment of Ms. Comfort Emmanson following an incident on an Ibom Air flight, labeling it a breach of her right to dignity.
The Association has offered to handle Emmanson’s case pro bono in seeking justice for her, asserting that “respect for human dignity and the rule of law must remain inviolate.”
In a statement sogned by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, the NBA criticized Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) for imposing a lifetime ban on Emmanson without due process.
According to the NBA, Emmanson was “forcibly removed from the aircraft, disrobed in public, and subjected to humiliation,” with the incident recorded and disseminated online.
The association asserted that the actions were degrading, unlawful, and “a profound affront to the rule of law and human dignity.”
The NBA also cited video footage purportedly showing an Ibom Air hostess preventing Emmanson from disembarking, which it suggested could constitute false imprisonment and may have aggravated the situation.
It called for an independent investigation by pertinent authorities before any disciplinary measures are enacted.
Regarding the lifetime ban, the NBA contended that only the statutory aviation regulator possesses the authority to suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly, not private entities or individual operators.
The association further condemned the dissemination of unedited footage exposing Emmanson’s nudity, describing it as a criminal breach of privacy.
It urged that those responsible for recording and distributing the video be identified and prosecuted.
The NBA demanded that Ibom Air rescind the lifetime ban, issue a public apology, and cooperate with an impartial investigation.
It also appealed to the Minister of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and security agencies to conduct a comprehensive inquiry and penalize those found culpable.
