The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has spoken out against the legal action taken against a female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, who was accused of disorderly conduct on an Ibom Air flight.
In a recent post on X, Obi argued that the situation highlights what he sees as “double standards” within Nigeria’s justice system and a lack of professionalism among security personnel.
He referred to the events as “unfortunate and dishonourable,” and he criticized how officials handled the passenger.
Although he began by “sincerely apologising to the Ibom Air crew who were assaulted by Miss Comfort Emmanson,” stating that “We must, as a society, learn and uphold good conduct, as it is a true measure of success and decent living,” he also made it clear that he “must equally strongly condemn the dehumanising treatment meted out to this young woman.”
He specifically called out her public stripping as “unnecessary” and “the height of rascality and abuse by our agencies.”
Obi pointed out the contrast between Emmanson’s “hurried” arraignment and the fact that another individual, a musician who allegedly caused a flight delay and risked lives, has not faced similar consequences. He noted that some government officials have even called for the musician to be forgiven.
“This case is not just about one young woman, it is about the double standards that poison our justice system,” Obi said, adding that “Justice in Nigeria must never be about who is poor or powerless versus who has influence or access to government officials.”
He emphasized that while Emmanson is in jail, “the other offender who committed a more severe offence has not been held to the same standard. He has neither been arrested nor arraigned in any court.”
Call for Fair and Impartial Justice
The former Anambra governor insisted that Nigeria should be a country where “justice is impartial, equitable, and applied without bias,” especially when it comes to women who are perceived as vulnerable.
“This young lady’s offence does not compare to the crimes committed daily by those parading themselves as ‘excellencies’ while looting public funds without consequence, and yet they have not been stripped or dehumanised in the name of justice,” he stated.
He ended with a call to “end this selective treatment of the poor or less privileged. If justice must be served, it should be served to all, and it must be served fairly.”
Obi concluded by saying that the Minister of Aviation and other relevant authorities should provide an explanation to Nigerians for what he called “double standards in their adjudication.”
Videos shared online show an angry female passenger attacking a flight attendant and confronting security at the airport. Ibom Air had previously said it would no longer fly the passenger due to her behavior and had placed a travel restriction on her.
The Ministry of Aviation also confirmed that she had been charged and was being held at Kirikiri correctional facility.
The incident involving the passenger occurred shortly after a separate situation at the Abuja airport involving a popular Fuji musician. The musician was placed on a no-fly list pending an investigation, and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has also petitioned the attorney-general and the inspector-general of police to look into the matter.