The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned Comfort Emmanson, and Juliana Edward, a member of the Ibom Air cabin crew, for further investigation into the incident reported on the airline’s Uyo-Lagos flight.
This came days after Emmanson was released from Kirikiri Correctional Centre, where she had been remanded following an alleged assault charge.
Peak Newspaper Nigeria reports that the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, disclosed the update during a Q&A session at the Emergency National Civil Aviation Security Committee and Stakeholders Meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Achimugu confirmed that he had spoken with Comfort Emmanson earlier in the day and that both she and the involved Ibom Air cabin crew had been invited for further investigation.
“I have spoken with Ms. Emmanson this morning. We are also inviting the Ibom Air cabin crew for continued investigation on the incident. They will be here tomorrow,” he said.
Achimugu also clarified that the pilot-in-command on touching down at the Lagos Airport did not immediately invite the security operatives because the issue seemed to have been settled earlier in Uyo.
He said the pilot, however, noted that when the aircraft landed, Emmansoon visited the restroom, which made her the last to disembark from the aircraft on the said day.
Reassuring the public of due process, Achimugu stressed that the NCAA is committed to thoroughly uncovering the facts surrounding the incident.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Buhari Abdulfatai, in his goodwill message, noted that recent incidents of unruly behaviour in Nigeria’s aviation sector stem largely from a lack of discipline and failure to uphold professional conduct by both air travellers and aviation personnel, including crew members.
Abdulfatai maintained that Nigeria already has sufficient laws and regulations governing its aviation industry but expressed concern that some individuals deliberately choose to flout them.
He commended the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for its firm stance on enforcing compliance and urged other relevant agencies to support the NCAA in maintaining safety and security across the sector.
