The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has asked Ibom Air to immediately withdraw the lifetime ban it placed on Comfort Emmanson, a passenger aboard the airline’s flight from Uyo to Lagos.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) imposed a lifetime ban on Emmanson after she assaulted an air hostess at the weekend.
Ibom Air also said Emmanson, who was remanded in Kirikiri prison on Monday, would no longer be allowed to travel on any of its aircraft following the incident.
However, in the process of dragging the lady off the aeroplane, following the assault, Ibom Air’s security men and the air hostess were filmed manhandling her.
Video clips circulating on social media showed the staff tugging at Emmanson’s shirt, which tore apart and left her breasts exposed. Then the video was shared on social media without blurring out her exposed body part.
While condemning the reckless treatment meted out to Emmanson by the airline and the eventual lifetime flight ban imposed on her, the NBA said the actions were “heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity”.
In addition to the call for the “immediate” withdrawal of the lifetime ban, the association also asked the airline to issue a public apology to Emmanson and cooperate fully with an impartial investigation into the incident.
A statement issued by the association on Tuesday reads in part:
“It is deeply disturbing that Ms. Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped of her clothing in public, and subjected to humiliation that was filmed and circulated online. Such conduct is degrading, violates her right to dignity and privacy, and falls far short of the standards of civility and professionalism expected in the aviation sector. No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be treated in such a dehumanising manner.
“While Ibom Air has issued its own account of events, other video footage has emerged showing an Ibom Air hostess preventing Ms. Emmanson from alighting from the aircraft, a conduct that could constitute false imprisonment and a possible provocation that escalated the situation.
“This makes it all the more critical that the matter be subjected to an independent, impartial investigation by the appropriate authorities before any disciplinary action is taken against her.”
According to the NBA, the airline’s decision to impose a lifetime ban without affording Emmanson a fair opportunity to be heard is troubling and a breach of the fundamental principle of fair hearing, which renders it legally and morally indefensible.
The NBA also said:
“The power to suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly rests with the appropriate statutory regulator, not private associations or airline operators acting unilaterally.
“The photographing, dissemination, and online circulation of indecent images of Ms. Emmanson is also an egregious invasion of privacy and a criminal act. Even if the incident was to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited in such a way that it did not expose her nudity to the public.
“Those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage must be identified and prosecuted. Such acts erode public trust and undermine the rights of all citizens to be treated with dignity and respect.”
NBA urged relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough inquiry, sanction all those found culpable, and enforce strict compliance with established standards for the humane treatment of air passengers.
“The NBA stands ready to provide Ms. Emmanson with pro bono legal support to ensure her rights are protected and that she obtains redress for the violations suffered.”
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