The Ikeja Magistrate’s Court has formally discharged Ms. Comfort Emmanson, the passenger at the centre of the recent Ibom Air in-flight disruption, after police authorities withdrew the charges against her.
The decision came on Wednesday when the court granted a request filed by the police prosecutor, citing the complainant’s loss of interest in pursuing the matter. The move effectively brings the weeks-long legal battle to a close.
Ms. Emmanson had been facing five separate charges, including:
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Breach of public peace aboard the flight
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Assault on a crew member
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Violation of public order regulations
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Obstruction of operational duties
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Disorderly conduct
She had pleaded not guilty during her initial arraignment, insisting she was wrongly accused.
According to the prosecutor, both the complainant and Ibom Air management communicated to police authorities that they were no longer interested in continuing with the case. No official reason was given for the withdrawal, but aviation industry observers suggest it may be the result of amicable settlement or intervention by higher authorities.
The presiding magistrate, after reviewing the request, ordered Ms. Emmanson’s discharge, noting that the prosecution had the discretion to withdraw charges where the complainant had lost interest.
This development comes just days after Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that Ibom Air had agreed to drop its criminal complaint as part of a wider reconciliation effort.
With the matter now resolved, stakeholders in the aviation sector are urging airlines to strengthen in-flight security protocols, crew training, and passenger engagement to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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