Comfort Emmanson, the passenger at the centre of the much-discussed Ibom Air incident, has come forward with her own account of what transpired on board, which eventually led to her arrest, arraignment, and subsequent acquittal by a Lagos court.
In a video posted on Instagram on Sunday, Emmanson expressed appreciation to those who supported her during what she described as a “traumatic” period.
Recounting the events, the real estate consultant said she was on a flight from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025, when a disagreement began with a cabin crew member identified as Juliana.
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According to her, the attendant insisted she switch off her mobile phone completely instead of using flight mode. She explained that one of her phones had a damaged power button.
“I showed her the phone and told her the power button was bad. She said I could still switch it off through the settings. With the help of a fellow passenger, I eventually managed to switch off both phones,” she explained.
The situation, she claimed, escalated further after the flight landed in Lagos.
“She stared at me with a bad eye. I picked up my phone and started recording. That was when she pushed me back inside the aircraft, dragged my wig frontal, tore my clothes and broke my necklace. The pain was unbearable,” she recounted tearfully.
Emmanson insisted she only reacted after being attacked, stressing that she did not instigate the confrontation.
“God knows I would never poke an elderly woman old enough to be my mother. It was the pain she inflicted on me, dragging my wig and stripping me in public, that made me react.”
The clash drew in airport security, and videos later circulated online showing Emmanson being forcefully removed from the plane with her clothes torn. The images attracted widespread reactions, with many expressing outrage while others mocked her situation.
“They tore my clothes, exposed my body, and people were filming. I felt humiliated. I cannot even go out freely anymore because my body is all over social media. Some people even turned it into stickers,” she lamented.
She was eventually released from custody on Wednesday.
Following her 11-minute video, Emmanson also issued a statement on Instagram stories, condemning what she described as misleading claims about the case.
“There have been lots of narratives being pushed about the incident, even by respected individuals, some claiming my suffering was political. These are all false. I have received constant victimisation and libel. I only wish for redemption and to regain whatever dignity I have left as a woman,” she wrote.
Reflecting further, she admitted her reactions came from a place of hurt after what she endured.
“I’ve flown with Ibom Air for years and never experienced this. Whatever happened after I was dragged down from the plane came from a place of pain. My swimsuit was clipped below my privates and torn.
“Imagine the pain as a woman. I would never lay hands on someone old enough to be my mother if she hadn’t assaulted me first. I apologise about my behaviour, I am not crazy, neither am I wayward. I have never been in such a situation in my life and I don’t wish it on my enemy,” she wrote.
