The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has requested firsthand accounts from passengers aboard the Ibom Air flight IAN513 (Uyo to Lagos) following a recent in-flight incident.
Mike Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, made the appeal via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday. He urged passengers with relevant information to contact him through direct message or email at michael.achimugu@ncaa.gov.ng.
“Once we verify that you were on that flight, we can begin to gather different perspectives. In the interest of justice and fairness, it is important to hear both sides of the story,” Achimugu stated.
While condemning the unruly behavior captured in circulating videos, Achimugu emphasized that all parties involved not just the passenger would be held accountable where necessary.
He also announced that NCAA officials in Lagos would launch a fact-finding mission, working alongside the police and other security agencies involved in the case.
“We hope this incident serves as a learning moment for all stakeholders passengers, airline crew, and aviation security personnel so that necessary improvements can be made,” he added.
Achimugu described the situation as “a test for the system,” highlighting that despite stringent regulations, such events reveal gaps that must be addressed to strengthen aviation safety.
“At the end of the day, the priority in aviation remains: safety first, safety second, and safety third,” he concluded.
The controversy began when a passenger, identified as Comfort Emmanson, allegedly refused to turn off her mobile phone before takeoff a violation of aviation safety procedures.
Her actions reportedly escalated, leading to confrontations with flight attendants and airport security.
In response, Ibom Air imposed a travel ban on Emmanson, citing safety concerns for its crew and passengers.
She was subsequently arraigned on Monday and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
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