Ibom Air Incident: Lawyer Who Sat Beside Comfort Emmanson Shares Eyewitness Account

A Nigerian lawyer who was on board the Ibom Air flight involved in last Sunday’s viral confrontation at Lagos Airport has come forward with a detailed first-hand account of the incident involving passenger Comfort Emmanson and a flight attendant.

Speaking on Channels TV this morning, the lawyer, identified as Ogebe, revealed that he was seated directly beside Emmanson during the flight and witnessed the entire exchange.

According to him, initial instructions from the first air hostess were professional and courteous. She reportedly asked Emmanson to switch off her phone during safety checks, but Emmanson explained that the buttons on her device were malfunctioning and asked for assistance — which she did not receive.

“She wasn’t refusing to comply,” Ogebe stated. “She was simply having issues switching off the phone.”

The situation escalated when a second flight attendant approached, allegedly with a confrontational tone. Ogebe claims she repeated the instruction and, after a brief exchange, allegedly told Emmanson, “If you say another word, I will deal with you.” This, he said, triggered an emotional outburst from Emmanson, including the use of expletives.

Ogebe noted that a fellow passenger eventually helped Emmanson turn off her phone. He added that throughout the flight, Emmanson appeared visibly upset and felt targeted, muttering that she was being treated unfairly despite paying for her ticket.

“The first air hostess was polite, amiable, and professional. If she had handled the situation alone, none of this would have happened,” Ogebe said.
“The second crew member, however, needs more training.”

While acknowledging that Emmanson’s behaviour during her arrest was “extremely violent” and disproportionate, the lawyer said he decided to speak out to offer a balanced perspective, as online narratives had painted Emmanson solely as an indisciplined passenger.

“The story out there wasn’t complete. It’s important to share the full context,” he added.

A video of Ogebe’s interview is available below.