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Summary
Following her ordeal with the Ibom air hostess, Comfort Emmanson shared her story in a viral online video. She explained that the identified air hostess, Juliana, assaulted and prevented her from disembarking the aeroplane. On the other hand, Ayodele Ademiluyi, a Public Interest Advocate, filed a N500 billion suit against the the FG, the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, NCAA, and others. He stated that the Fuji musician received preferential treatment while Ms Comfort Emmanson was treated unfairly.
In a viral video shared online, on Monday, August 18, 2025, Ms. Comfort Emmanson narrates in detail what transpired between her and the Ibom air hostess, Juliana.
According to her, the incident began when the air hostess, Juliana, asked her to switch off her phone. She explained that one of her phones had a faulty power button, and while the air hostess refused to assist, a fellow passenger eventually helped her turn it off. She maintained that she complied with all safety instructions.
The situation escalated after the plane landed in Lagos when the same air hostess stopped her from disembarking. Feeling threatened, she began recording the situation, which allegedly provoked the hostess. Comfort claimed the air hostess dragged her by her wig, tore her clothes, and removed her necklace, causing her phone to break. In the heat of the moment, she admitted to poking the hostess in anger. She was then forcibly removed from the aeroplane by several men while she was being recorded, leaving her exposed and humiliated.
Recalled that Comfort was forcefully dragged off an Ibom Air aircraft by staff members, assaulted, and filmed while her clothes were torn. The video, later posted online, exposed her to online gender-based violence.
Following the issue, a public interest advocate and convener of the Movement for Justice and Secretary of the Radical Gender Movement, Ayodele Ademiluyi, filed a N500 billion suit against the Federal Government, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Aviation Minister, and several others. The case, instituted at the Federal High Court, Lagos, challenged the violation of the rule of law while handling the two separate aviation incidents involving the Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde and passenger Ms. Comfort Emmanson.
The suit, marked FHC/L/1632/25, listed several respondents, including the President of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo (SAN). Others are the NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Ibom Air, ValueJet, the Nigerian Correctional Service, King Wasiu Ayinde, and the Nigerian Police Force. Also joined are the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the State Attorney-General, and the Airline Operators of Nigeria.
Ayodele claimed this act is necessary to protect the public interest and hold aviation stakeholders accountable. He accused the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo (SAN), of showing solidarity with one of the airlines, acting in contrast to his oath of office and the rule of law.
“We are asking for an order of mandates to compel relevant authorities to take proper action against those involved, particularly Mr. KWAM. This is not about celebrity status or political connection–it’s about the sanity of the rule of law,” he said.
Additionally, he condemned the Airline Operators of Nigeria’s handling of Ms. Comfort’s case, arguing that the organisation assumed the roles of both prosecutor and judge in imposing and subsequently lifting the ban.
Ayodele argued that King Wasiu Ayinde received preferential treatment while Ms. Comfort Emmanson was subjected to swift punitive action. He stressed that appointing him as ambassador for the airline sent the wrong signal.
“It’s a gross imbalance. He was rewarded with a brand ambassadorship for the aviation sector. What message does that send to the public?” he asked.
Ayodele called on the judiciary to uphold the rule of law and ensure justice prevails.
