Double Standard in the Skies: Comfort Emmanson, KWAM 1, and the Death of the Rule of Law in Nigeria by Dr. Anne Uruegi Agi
In a truly just society, the law is a leveler, blind to status, wealth, or political connection. But in Nigeria, we are reminded daily that the scales of justice tilt toward the powerful, while the ordinary citizen bears the brunt of selective enforcement. The recent decision by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, to “compassionately” withdraw criminal charges against Comfort Emmanson, just days after a similar show of leniency toward Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (popularly known as KWAM 1), is a glaring example of how the Nigerian state manipulates clemency to cover up inequity.
Let us be clear: Comfort Emmanson did not deserve to be dragged out of a plane, stripped of dignity, and thrown into prison for keeping her phone on flight mode instead of powering it off. KWAM 1 did not deserve to escape legal accountability after physically obstructing a flight from taking off, spilling alcohol on the pilot and crew, and disrupting airport operations. In a country governed by the rule of law, both incidents would have been subjected to due process — with evidence tested in court and consequences meted out without fear or favor.
Instead, what we have witnessed is an unconvincing political choreography. KWAM 1, a presidential ally, was spared the embarrassment of prosecution, his one-month flight ban conveniently wrapped in the language of “penitence” and “ambassadorship.” People, the Federal Government of Nigeria even rewarded KWAM 1 by making him an Aviation Security Ambassador! This glaring disparity underscores the inconsistency and perceived bias in how aviation rules are enforced.
Comfort’s release, far from being an act of justice, now appears to be a calculated public relations move, a backdoor settlement meant to create symmetry, so that the government’s indulgence toward KWAM 1 would not appear as naked favoritism.
This is not justice; it is damage control.
Weaponized Compassion
Keyamo’s press statement dresses this decision in the garb of compassion. But in law, compassion is no substitute for accountability. True compassion is consistent; it is rooted in fairness, not selective indulgence. When “compassion” is only extended after the politically powerful have been shielded, it becomes an instrument of control.
For Comfort, this “forgiveness” is double-edged. On one hand, she escapes the immediate threat of prosecution; on the other, she is effectively muzzled. The implicit message is chilling: We have spared you, now keep quiet. Any attempt to sue Ibom Air for defamation, unlawful detention, or assault may be met with the resurrection of criminal charges. This is not compassion; it is coercion in the language of mercy.
The Real Offenders in the Room
Ibom Air emerges from this saga not as a victim of an “unruly passenger,” but as the poster child for poor crisis management and zero de-escalation training. Multiple witness accounts confirm that Comfort had indicated a willingness to leave the aircraft, yet was blocked by a crew member — a needless provocation that set the stage for the confrontation. The claim that another passenger seized her phone remains unsubstantiated.
This was a golden opportunity for the airline to set a standard for professionalism and customer relations in the aviation sector. Instead, it resorted to force, public shaming, and, most disturbingly, an apparent disregard for the dignity of the passenger, with images and videos of her exposed body circulating online.
For this alone, Ibom Air should be facing a civil lawsuit, regulatory sanctions, and a mandatory retraining of its staff. That such measures are absent underscores the deeper problem: in Nigeria, corporate actors aligned with political interests can act with impunity.
What Should Have Been Done
1. Equal Application of the Law – Both Comfort Emmanson and KWAM 1 should have been charged in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act and other applicable laws. Any mitigation should have come at the sentencing stage, after a transparent judicial process.
2. Accountability for Airline Staff – The crew members who escalated the Comfort incident should be disciplined, retrained, and made to publicly apologize.
3. Civil Redress – Comfort should have been informed of her right to sue for unlawful detention, assault, and defamation — without fear of retaliatory prosecution.
4. Clear Communication on Flight Protocols – Airlines must publicly explain the rationale behind their phone policies, supported by evidence, to avoid arbitrary enforcement by overzealous staff.
5. Independent Oversight – The NCAA and FAAN should investigate these incidents, with findings made public. Administrative discretion should never replace due process.
The Bigger Picture
This saga is about more than an airline scuffle. It is about a state apparatus that bends the rules for its friends while using “mercy” as a gag order for ordinary citizens. It is about a culture where institutions act as extensions of political will rather than as guardians of justice.
Minister Festus Keyamo’s “compassion” might have freed Comfort from prison, but it has not freed Nigeria from the deeper rot - justice system where outcomes are determined not by facts or law, but by who you know. Until we insist on equal application of the law, we will keep mistaking selective clemency for progress, and the skies above Nigeria will remain as turbulent as the governance below.
