NCAA Confirms Key Eyewitness in Ibom Air Passenger Dispute

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed that a male passenger seated next to Comfort Emmanson, the woman involved in a viral altercation with an Ibom Air hostess, has come forward to share his account of events.

                                                         

NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said the witness, who also submitted his boarding pass, provided details of what happened before the flight’s departure. According to Achimugu, the testimony sheds light on the conduct of other parties and the airline’s passenger-handling procedures.

“Some aspects of his account offer an opportunity to look at other perspectives of this case, especially the behaviour of other actors involved and the manner of passenger handling before takeoff,” Achimugu said.

The NCAA has issued a Letter of Investigation (LOI) to Ibom Air and plans to invite the airline, the witness, and other parties to a meeting. Achimugu assured that the Ministry of Aviation and the NCAA remain committed to protecting the rights of all stakeholders.

He welcomed the development, noting that it was a relief to have a verifiable witness amid the “fake audios and claims” circulating on social media. “There is a lot to unbundle, and we will get to the root of it. Rest assured that every culpable party will be held accountable,” he added.