An incident that sparked public attention in Nigeria’s aviation sector reached its conclusion on Wednesday when a Lagos Magistrate Court discharged Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger accused of assault during a flight.
The presiding magistrate, Olanrewaju Salami, granted the discharge after police prosecutors dropped all five charges in court.
The case had attracted national attention after Emmanson was arrested on August 10 for allegedly engaging in disorderly conduct on board an Ibom Air flight. She was arraigned two days later and remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre due to her inability to meet a N500,000 bail requirement.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), disclosed that the decision followed a series of consultations with stakeholders in the sector. “After reviewing the events, listening to appeals, and seeing the remorse of the parties involved, Ibom Air agreed to withdraw its complaint,” Keyamo announced.
During the resumed hearing, prosecutor Oluwabunmi Adeitan confirmed that new developments warranted the case’s withdrawal. The court accepted the application, bringing the matter to a close.