Nigerian comedian and actor Bovi Ugboma has shared his thoughts on the recent incident involving a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, who assaulted a flight attendant on an Ibom Air flight and later clashed with airport officials at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Sunday.
In a post shared via his Instagram story on Monday, Bovi praised the professionalism displayed by the airline staff during the confrontation but highlighted the importance of addressing such incidents through both legal and mental health frameworks.
“Mental illness is not only when someone is mad and trekking and eating from a bin. Some people are really stressed.
“Some are used to abusive patterns of destressing like cussing and fighting. Some are triggered by their chronic childhood trauma,” he wrote.
Bovi further stated, “Complex post traumatic stress disorder is a thing. Kudos to the airport staff and airline hostess for the way they handled that passenger. But that girl needs to be taken to hospital. That looked like a manic episode.
“Yes she should face the law. But she also needs mental treatment. Most of us do.”
According to a statement from Ibom Air, the incident began mid-flight from Uyo to Lagos after Emmanson refused to turn off her phone despite multiple instructions from the crew. When another passenger switched it off on her behalf following a pilot’s announcement, she allegedly reacted with a verbal outburst. The situation was eventually calmed, allowing the flight to proceed.
Upon arrival in Lagos, Emmanson reportedly waited for other passengers to disembark before physically attacking the purser who had earlier spoken to her.
In response, Ibom Air banned Emmanson from future flights with the airline. Authorities have since charged her to court and remanded her at Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
