A Nigerian lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, who was on board the Ibom Air flight at the centre of last Sunday’s viral confrontation at Lagos airport, has given his version of events.
Speaking on Channels TV, Ogebe said he sat directly beside Comfort Emmanson and witnessed “everything that transpired” before the situation escalated. According to him, the first flight attendant handled passengers professionally, politely instructing them on safety procedures and asking Emmanson to switch off her phone.
Trouble, he said, began when a second flight attendant approached “with a posture that showed she came for trouble,” repeating the same instruction. Emmanson reportedly explained her phone’s buttons were faulty and asked for assistance, which was refused. Another passenger eventually helped her power it down.
Ogebe maintained that Emmanson never refused to comply, but the exchange intensified when the second attendant allegedly warned, “If you say another word, I will deal with you.” This, he said, triggered an angry outburst from Emmanson, including strong language.
Throughout the flight, Ogebe claimed, the second attendant repeatedly “peeped” at Emmanson, while the first remained “polite, amiable, and professional.” He added:
“If the first attendant had handled the matter from start to finish, it wouldn’t have happened. That said, Emmanson’s behaviour during her arrest was extremely violent and disproportionate.”
Explaining why he spoke out, Ogebe said public narratives wrongly portrayed Emmanson as a “typical indisciplined Nigerian” defying crew orders. He insisted the second attendant “needs more training,” while the first “deserves an award” for professionalism.
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