NCAA requests firsthand accounts of Ibom Air incident

In order to support its investigation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has asked passengers on board the Ibom Air Uyo-Lagos flight (IAN513) during the incident last Sunday to provide first-hand recollections.

NCAA's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, asked anyone who saw the events leading up to the altercation to get in touch with him by direct message or email at michael.achimugu@ncaa.gov.ng in a post made on Tuesday via his official X handle.

We may talk and attempt to comprehend different viewpoints on this matter after it has been confirmed that you were a passenger on that particular flight.

He stated, "It is essential to hear both sides of the story in the interest of justice and fairness."

He stressed that while the unruly behaviour witnessed on the flight would not be excused, the authority was determined to ensure that “every other person who was culpable down the line is held accountable.”

Achimugu disclosed that NCAA officers in Lagos would embark on a fact-finding mission, engaging the police and other security personnel involved in handling the incident.

“One hopes that lessons are learned from all of these events and that necessary adjustments and improvements are implemented by all stakeholders — passengers, airline staff, aviation security, etc.,” he said.

Achimugu called the situation "a test for the system," pointing out that even with strict restrictions, these kinds of incidents reveal operational flaws that enable officials to "pluck loopholes" and enhance safety protocols.

"The message is always the same in aviation: safety comes first, safety comes second, and safety comes third," he continued.

Social media videos showed an angry Comfort Emmanson battling airport security guards and assaulting flight attendants on an Ibom Air flight heading from Uyo to Lagos.

According to Ibom Air, the passenger's refusal to turn off her cell phone in accordance with regular aviation safety protocols started the issue just before takeoff from Uyo.

Her actions, according to the airline, seriously jeopardized the security of its employees, customers, and aircraft.

She will no longer be permitted to board any of the domestic carrier's flights, and the airline has since placed a travel ban on her.

The passengers were arraigned on Monday and placed under detention at the Kirikri Correctional Center in Lagos as a result of the development.