Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised the circulation of an indecent video of Comfort Emmanson, the passenger recently involved in a disturbance aboard an Ibom Air flight.
Keyamo, in a statement on Monday, described the act as “totally unacceptable” and directed that the staff member responsible for leaking the footage be identified and sanctioned.
“Apart from the indefinite flight ban imposed on the said unruly passenger (both local and international) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the police has promptly arraigned her this morning at the Ikeja Magistrates Court for criminal offences and remanded her at Kirikiri prison as she could not provide adequate sureties in court. I have attached the Charge Sheet and Remand Order for clarity,” Keyamo stated.
The minister acknowledged that a scuffle occurred between Emmanson and ground personnel before she was subdued, attributing it to her “uncooperative attitude.” He said while it was appropriate to record her behaviour as evidence for prosecution, it was wrong to make such sensitive footage public.
“Whilst we support the filming of her recalcitrant behaviour as evidence to prosecute her, what is deplorable is to release such evidence containing indecent exposure to the public to ridicule her. That is totally unacceptable to us. We will not fold our arms and tolerate the debasing of womanhood. I have therefore directed that whoever released that part of the video containing the indecent exposure amongst the staff should be singled out and adequately sanctioned,” he said.
Keyamo also announced that he has ordered a joint security meeting between relevant agencies next week to improve coordination in handling similar incidents.
“I have also directed that the airlines must continue to train and retrain their staff in public relations and how to deal with potentially explosive situations in order to diffuse them promptly or nip them in the bud, except when it becomes inevitable. I have also directed a joint security meeting between relevant agencies next week for better coordination of security measures in situations like this or similar ones we witnessed recently,” the minister added.
Addressing future conflicts between passengers and airlines, Keyamo urged aggrieved travellers to follow due process.
“For genuinely aggrieved passengers, there are clearly laid-down remedies to address grievances. The Consumer Protection Directorate of the NCAA has consistently advertised these remedies and there is no point trying to take the laws into one’s hands that may lead to dire consequences,” he said.
Appears premeditated.