A LAWYER, David Ogede, who witnessed the altercation between an air hostess with Ibom Air and Comfort Emmanson, a passenger on the airline’s flight from Uyo to Lagos on Sunday, August 10, has spoken out about the crisis.
Ogede, who sat close to Emmanson on the plane, described the events leading up to the confrontation as not well handled by the parties.
According to the lawyer, who spoke on the Channels TV Morning Show on Thursday, the first air hostess clearly instructed passengers to switch off their phones before takeoff.
However, when the second air hostess approached Emmanson, who was struggling to switch off her iPhone, the tone of the interactions between them turned sour.
The lawyer said the situation became tense when the air hostess told Emmanson, “If you say another word, I will deal with you.”
“That was when Miss Emmanson flared up and started cursing. I cannot say the things that she was actually saying,” Ogede said, stressing they were unprintable.
Further recounting what transpired, Ogede explained that she explained to the air hostess that the buttons on her phone weren’t working, and the air hostess responded dismissively, saying, “I don’t have time for your nonsense.”
“I felt humiliated myself just looking at the way the lady was being spoken to. The air hostess didn’t even acknowledge me or the gentleman sitting on my left when we tried to intervene,” Ogede stated.
He described how a fellow passenger eventually helped Emmanson switch off her phone, but not before the situation escalated and Emmanson began cursing the air hostess throughout the flight.
Ogede noticed that Emmanson was visibly upset throughout the journey and continued to mutter in anger.
Ogede opined the situation could have been handled more professionally by the airline.
“The air hostess could have taken a more understanding approach, especially given Emmanson’s apparent struggles with her phone,” Ogede said.
Recall that Emmanson was accused of engaging in disruptive conduct during the trip.
Viral videos on social media show how she was forced out of the aircraft and her upper was fully open after her clothes appeared torn as she was being dragged from the aircraft to the tarmac by men in vests bearing Ibom Air.
While many who saw the initial viral videos where she assaulted the airline crew condemned her action, subsequent videos show how she was blocked by the crew from alighting from the flight in what appears to be a bid to hand her over to security officials.
However, on August 10, after her arrest, she was charged in court.
In addition to her prosecution, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) imposed a lifetime ban on her from flying on any Nigerian carrier.
Emmanson was arraigned before the court on Monday and granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre for failing to meet the bail conditions.
Although she was later released from prison and acquitted of all charges after intervention from the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, her case sparked heated debates among Nigerians, with many comparing her case with that of a popular musician, Wasiu Ayinde, also known as KWAM.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance