Comfort Emmanson, the Nigerian real estate consultant at the center of a recent viral aviation controversy, has broken her silence days after being released from custody.
In an emotional video shared online, she gave a detailed account of the events that led to her arrest, public humiliation, and brief detention.
The incident, which occurred on August 10 aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, resulted in Emmanson being forcibly removed from the aircraft, charged in court and banned for life by the airline.
Her version of the story, however, paints a different picture.
In her video statement, Emmanson thanked supporters who stood by her, describing their solidarity as unexpected but deeply appreciated.
“I want to appreciate everyone who fought for me when I was in prison,” she said.
“The love and support I received… I never expected it. For someone like me, a commoner, it means a lot.”
She explained that the altercation started shortly after boarding, when a flight attendant identified as Juliana allegedly confronted her about switching off her mobile phone.
Emmanson stated that while one of her phones had a faulty power button, she received help from a fellow passenger to power it down.
“I never refused to switch off my phone. I only explained that the power button was bad, and I needed help. When she refused, another passenger helped me and I turned off both devices.” she said.
According to Emmanson, tensions escalated upon landing in Lagos.
She alleged that the same flight attendant stopped her from disembarking and ignored her attempts to leave the aircraft.
Sensing hostility, she began recording the interaction on her phone.
She claimed that this provoked a physical assault from the crew member, who allegedly dragged her by her wig, tore her clothes, and broke her necklace in the process.
“She dragged my frontal, tore my gold chain, and my phone fell and broke,” she said.
“The pain of having my hair yanked off was unbearable. Out of frustration, I reacted.”
Emmanson described being dragged off the plane by multiple airline staff while passengers filmed her.
She said her clothing was torn during the scuffle, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.
“People were recording me like that. Some even turned the videos into memes and stickers. I can’t even step out now without people recognizing me. It’s affecting my work, how do I sell homes when clients have seen that video?”
Following the incident, Emmanson was charged with five offenses and remanded briefly at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
However, all charges were dropped last Wednesday when the police withdrew the case, and an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court discharged her.
Since her release, Emmanson said she has been receiving medical attention and needed time to heal before speaking publicly.
“I’m not a troublemaker. People who know me understand my character. I never thought trying to switch off a phone would lead to this,” she added.
The incident sparked a national conversation on passenger rights, airline conduct, and crisis handling within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
While Ibom Air has not issued a follow-up statement since announcing the lifetime ban, public opinion remains divided.
