Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger at the center of a viral in flight altercation, has broken her silence, recounting the trauma she suffered after her clothes were torn and her body exposed during the incident.
Speaking in an emotional video message, Emmanson said the ordeal has left her unable to go out or live freely, as images from the scuffle have been widely circulated online and even turned into internet stickers.
“The humiliation is too much. I feel ashamed,” she said, adding that the incident continues to haunt her.
Before recounting what happened, she first expressed gratitude to God and to those who supported her during her detention. “For a commoner like me, you fought for me, you stood by me. I want to appreciate you all. God Almighty will bless you,” she said.
Emmanson explained that the confrontation began on August 10 during a Uyo–Lagos flight, when a flight attendant identified as Juliana instructed passengers to turn off their phones.
She said one of her devices had a faulty power button, and though she sought help from another passenger to switch it off, the attendant allegedly became hostile, warning her: “You will see.”
The matter escalated after landing in Lagos, when Juliana allegedly stopped her from disembarking. Emmanson said the crew member then attacked her, tearing her clothes, removing her wig and jewellery, and breaking her phone.
The viral footage of the altercation sparked outrage nationwide, leading to Emmanson’s arrest and arraignment before an Ikeja court, where she was later discharged after prosecutors withdrew charges.
Her testimony has reignited debate over passenger rights, airline accountability, and the professional conduct of flight attendants in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
