The Federal Government has announced the withdrawal of all criminal complaints against Mrs. Comfort Emmanson, following her recent altercation aboard an Ibom Air flight, describing the decision as an act of clemency on compassionate grounds.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, after consultations with critical stakeholders in the aviation sector and parties involved in recent incidents of unruly behaviour at Nigerian airports.
According to Keyamo, while the August 10 incident involving Mrs. Emmanson was regrettable, valuable lessons have been learned on both sides, with the events bringing renewed public attention to the importance of adhering to airport security protocols.
“It is clear that all the actors involved cannot continue to highlight the injury or injustice done to them without acknowledging their own equal culpability,” the minister noted.
He explained that following appeals from well-meaning Nigerians and Mrs. Emmanson’s display of remorse during her statement to the police, the Federal Government, in agreement with Ibom Air, resolved to drop all charges against her. The airline has formally withdrawn its complaint, paving the way for the Commissioner of Police at the Airport Command and the prosecutor to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prison this week.
In addition, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have agreed to lift the lifetime flying ban earlier imposed on her, with details of the resolution to be made public soon.
The press statement also addressed other recent aviation-related incidents, including the August 5 case involving Fuji music legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1). The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reduced his six-month flight ban to one month and will work with him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol. The NCAA will also withdraw its criminal complaints against the artiste.
Similarly, ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba will have their licenses restored after serving a one-month ban and undergoing mandatory professional reappraisal.
Keyamo further directed all aviation security agencies to commence a retreat next week to retrain personnel on managing disruptive passengers and de-escalating tense situations, while airlines will also review their staff conduct toward passengers.
The minister stressed that these decisions were made solely on compassionate grounds, reiterating the government’s commitment to strict enforcement of safety and security regulations in the aviation sector going forward.