Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that airline operators are considering appointing Ms. Comfort Emmanson — the Ibom Air passenger recently freed from prison — as an ambassador for good passenger conduct.
Emmanson was jailed following an incident aboard an Ibom Air flight but was released on Wednesday after government intervention and the airline’s withdrawal of its complaint.
In a statement via his verified X handle, Keyamo said the proposed role for Emmanson, as well as Fuji legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) in a separate case, would be voluntary and without any financial benefits.
“It is common practice worldwide for a repentant offender to publicly speak against the conduct they once engaged in. This is not a paid role, but a voluntary service — similar to community service,” Keyamo explained, adding that such ambassadorial positions had been given by previous Nigerian governments to rehabilitated individuals.
The minister stressed that the title “ambassador” in this context does not mean an official government post, nor does it come with perks or salary.
Emmanson’s case stemmed from a Uyo-to-Lagos flight where she allegedly refused to switch off her mobile phone during takeoff, leading to an altercation that disrupted operations. She was arrested, prosecuted, and handed a lifetime no-fly ban by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria — a decision criticized by the Nigerian Bar Association and other rights groups.
Similarly, KWAM 1 was involved in a separate August 5 incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where he allegedly clashed with airline staff and security officials while attempting to board a ValueJet flight to Lagos, leading to further disruptions.