The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has urged passengers who were aboard the Ibom Air Uyo–Lagos flight (IAN513) during Sunday’s altercation to share their firsthand accounts to support its ongoing investigation.
In a statement on his official X handle on Tuesday, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, called on anyone who saw the events leading to the fracas to reach out to him directly via a private message or by email at michael.achimugu@ncaa.gov.ng.
“Once verified that you were actually a passenger on that flight, we can discuss and try to understand other perspectives to this issue.
“In the interest of justice and fairness, it is necessary to hear both sides of the story,” he said.
Achimugu emphasised that while the unruly conduct on the flight would not be excused, the NCAA was committed to ensuring that “every other person who was culpable down the line is held accountable.”
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He revealed that NCAA officials in Lagos would carry out a fact-finding mission in collaboration with the police and other security operatives involved in the matter.
“One hopes that lessons are learned from all of these events and that necessary adjustments and improvements are implemented by all stakeholders — passengers, airline staff, aviation security, etc.,” he stated.
Describing the case as “a test for the system,” Achimugu noted that incidents like this reveal operational lapses despite strong regulations, enabling authorities to “pluck loopholes” and strengthen safety protocols.
“At the end of it all, the message remains the same — in aviation, it is safety first, safety second, and safety third,” he added.
Viral social media footage captured a visibly angry Comfort Emmanson confronting flight attendants during the Ibom Air trip from Uyo to Lagos and later clashing with airport security personnel.
