Human rights activist and legal practitioner Omoyele Sowore has strongly criticized the handling of Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of slapping a flight attendant on an Ibom Air flight earlier this month.
Sowore highlighted three major issues with the incident. First, he noted a persistent problem in Nigerian aviation: many flight attendants fail to treat passengers with basic courtesy, instead behaving as though they have unchecked authority. He argued that a polite reminder about phone usage during takeoff should suffice, pointing out that in the United States, passengers are rarely asked to switch off phones due to in-flight internet access.
Second, Sowore condemned the public humiliation Emmanson endured, describing it as “sexual and degrading” treatment that could leave lasting psychological trauma.
Third, he criticized the legal response, calling the passenger’s arrest and imprisonment without trial “arbitrary” and “a travesty of justice.” Sowore said the case reflects selective enforcement, noting that individuals with greater social or political influence often face far milder consequences for similar or more serious infractions.
“This is about a systemic culture of abuse, humiliation, impunity, and selective justice that continues to thrive in Nigeria, from customer service to the courts,” Sowore concluded.
