By Muhammad Mamman
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned passenger Comfort Emmanson and Ibom Air cabin crew member Juliana Edward for a probe into a mid-air ruckus on a 10 August flight from Uyo to Lagos.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, dropped the bombshell during a lively Q&A at the Emergency National Civil Aviation Security Committee and Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
“I rang Ms. Emmanson this morning, and we’ve also called in the Ibom Air cabin crew for further investigation. They’ll be here tomorrow,” Achimugu revealed.
He clarified that the pilot didn’t summon security upon landing in Lagos, as the kerfuffle appeared sorted during the flight. However, Emmanson, who nipped to the loo after touchdown, was the last to leave the aircraft.
Achimugu vowed transparency, assuring the public that the NCAA is determined to get to the bottom of the incident.
Meanwhile, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, blamed the surge in aviation misbehaviour on a broader collapse in discipline among passengers, airport staff, and crew. He called for stricter adherence to professional standards and gave a nod to the NCAA’s crackdown efforts, urging other aviation bodies to back their push for a safer, more secure industry.
