Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger recently freed from Kirikiri Prison, has broken her silence, even as the Federal Government faces backlash over its decision to appoint Fuji music star, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Emmanson thanked her friends, supporters, and well-wishers for their prayers during her detention but disclosed that she is still grappling with the physical and emotional toll of her ordeal.
“Thank you so much for all the prayers, love and support. I’ve been released from prison, but I’m still in pains due to how I was treated. I just need some rest and medical treatment before I give my own version of events,” she wrote.
Her release came after Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami of the Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Ogba struck out the five-count charge against her. She had been accused of disrupting the peace aboard an Ibom Air flight, assaulting a crew member, and engaging in conduct capable of breaching public order. The case was dropped after both the complainant and the airline said they were no longer interested in pursuing it.
Meanwhile, the government’s choice of KWAM 1 as an aviation security ambassador has stirred public outrage, with critics accusing the authorities of rewarding bad behaviour. The appointment follows an August 5 incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in which the singer allegedly obstructed a ValueJet aircraft’s movement and splashed the contents of a flask on a pilot, a security officer, and passengers.
Although the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority initially banned him from flying, the sanction was later reduced to one month after what Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, described as the singer’s “public show of penitence” and appeals from prominent Nigerians.
Defending the decision in a post on X, Keyamo said it was “common practice all over the world” to engage repentant offenders in advocacy against the misconduct that led to their sanction, comparing it to unpaid community service. He also revealed that the Airline Operators of Nigeria were considering using Emmanson as an ambassador for good passenger conduct, saying his ministry had been “fair to all parties” in both cases.
However, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), condemned the move, warning that the government had “lost the moral right” to prosecute unruly passengers after pardoning KWAM 1 without trial.
“The government’s action sets a dangerous precedent,” Falana said. “Since citizens have equal rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law, any future prosecution of passengers for similar conduct will be seen as discriminatory.”
He argued that dropping the case against the musician while assigning him an advocacy role undermines the principle of equal application of the law and weakens public trust in the justice system.
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