LAGOS, NIGERIA — Miss Comfort Emmanson, the young woman at the centre of a recent controversy involving Ibom Air crew, has come forward to narrate her side of the story, alleging she was physically assaulted by a flight attendant.
In a post on her Instagram account, @soft_commy, Emmanson claimed that a flight hostess, identified as Julian Edwards, forcefully pulled off her frontal wig, cut off her gold jewellery, and damaged her mobile phones.
She said the confrontation began during pre-flight checks when she struggled to switch off her phone and that it escalated into a physical altercation upon landing in Lagos. Emmanson recounted that the flight attendant insulted her by calling her a prostitute, blocked her from disembarking, and later attacked her, leaving her bruised and humiliated.
Emmanson lamented that the incident had left her traumatised, and the circulation of her private images on social media had worsened her distress.
She said, “I want to first appreciate God Almighty and everyone who stood by me and fought for me when I was in prison. When I came out the love and support I saw, I was not expecting it for a commoner like me. I say God bless you all. So, on August 10, I boarded a flight from Uyo to Lagos and the normal procedure was on.
The lady Juliana was telling everyone to switch off their phones. When she came to me, I was struggling with my phone, and she said I should turn my phone away. I showed her that one of the phones was bad. The button was bad and she said I can turn it off without the power button.
I had two phones and so the man sitting beside me helped me to turn off the other one. While she was talking, she said I should go to my settings and to general…I pleaded with her to take the phone off it, but she refused, saying ‘children nowadays…’ I asked her to spell general for me, but the way she looked at me and the pressure from her, so I turned to the man who switched off the first one and begged him to help.
The man spelt general and I went back to her but she looked at me with a bad eye. So, I turned to the man again and he helped me switch the second one off. I put both phones where they are supposed to be. But before she left, she said, ‘You will see. ’ I didn’t take it to heart since I have already switched my phone off.”
“So, when we arrived in Lagos, I rushed to the bathroom to pee. My seat was at the back. There was someone inside already and so I had to wait for the person to come out. After the person left, I got in, peed and when I was done, I went out of the bathroom. I didn’t stay that long inside because it’s a small place and very uncomfortable. So, I went out and carried my things to leave but she blocked my way. I kept telling her to leave the road for me to go, as everyone had left the aircraft, but she stood there looking at me with a bad eye (condescendingly).
That’s when I brought out my phone and did that short video to show how she was blocking my exit. When I brought out my phone, she then turned around showing me her back.
Then, she noticed I was recording her and she pushed me inside, dragged my frontal out, cut my gold chain in the process of tearing my clothes and also made my phones fall to the ground and break. I was in pain, she inflicted so much pain on me. Anyone who has fixed a frontal knows how painful it is then imagine someone dragging it out forcefully.
It was all these pains she caused me that made me poke her in the face, asking her why she did that to me. God knows I wouldn’t poke an elderly woman, old enough to be my mother, for nothing. It’s the pain she inflicted on me and calling me a prostitute that’s why I was asking her why she did that. Before I knew it, all those guys had come in and surrounded me. They were dragging me, and the lady, Juliana, was the one who dragged my pin under (bodycon top). The way she dragged the pin under also wounded me inside.
I was the only one there, surrounded by all of them, and I was struggling to help myself. They were dragging me and some of them wanted to touch me. So, I was trying to cover myself and also defend myself. That was what they recorded and put out there. I was surprised, I never expected that. It was so much for one person to bear.
I was very angry and kept asking them why they would do that to me. Still, they made a video of me and put it out there. The trauma is just too much. I cannot even go out there again. My body is out there. Some people have even used it to make stickers. Right now, I don’t know how I will be going for a work interview.
I am into real estate. Imagine going to sell or advertise a property to a client and they will be looking at my breasts. Imagine what my unborn kids or the man that I will marry will say about my reputation. I haven’t come out to tell my part of the story because I was still on treatment.
I never expected that the phone situation would come out this way. People are now making a mockery of me, sending me messages that my body is outside. Those who know me can attest that I am not really a social media person. I am happy I am strong enough to talk now. I am not a troublesome person; I am not a nuisance. I never refused to switch off my phone,” she lamented.
