6 days ago
'We no go remain silent, Justice must prevail' - Support for Comfort Bob inside Ibom Air incident increase as NBA chook mouth
Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) don call on Ibom Air to immediately withdraw di life-time ban dem sama on female Ms Comfort Emmanson - Comfort Bob.
Di NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, wey make dis demand for one statement e issue on Tuesday 12 August, tok say di decision to impose lifetime ban on Ms Emmanson without fair opportunity to hear her own side of di tori dey illegal.
"Ibom Air so far don only present dia own version of events without giving her di chance to respond. Dis one-sided process, wey add to di ban by di AON, go against di fundamental principle of fair hearing and e render di decision legally and morally indefensible."
Di president for di NBA for di statement tok say di power to suspend or restrict any passenger right to fly rest wit di appropriate statutory regulator, no be private associations or airline operators wey dey act alone.
Di NBA reaction dey come afta one video show how airport securities take comot Ms Emmanson from one Ibom Airline flight on Sunday, 10 August after dem accuse her of unruly behaviour for di flight and for di airport.
Di video show as dem take drag her out of di airplane for way, wey di NBA and some Nigerians find offensive and against her human right.
Ibom Air and di Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) bin impose life time ban on her. Police also charge her to court on five count charges wey include assault.
Currently, she dey remanded for Kirikiri maximum correctional centre for Lagos state as she dey seek to perfect her bail..
NBA wey strongly condemn di way di airline authorities take treat Ms Emmanson plus di sanctions wey dem sama her say make di airline issue public apology to her and cooperate fully wit impartial investigation into di incident.
Dem add say dem ready to provide her wit pro bono legal support to ensure say her rights dey protected and she get redress for di violations she suffer.
"E dey deeply disturbing say dem forcefully remove Ms. Emmanson from di aircraft, dem strip her of her clothing for public, and subject her to humiliation wey dem feem and spread online."
Di statement add say no pesin regardless of di circumstances, suppose dey treated in such a dehumanising manner.
"We no go remain silent while di fundamental rights of any Nigerian dey trampled upon, whether by public authorities, private corporations, or individuals. Respect for human dignity and di rule of law must never be compromised, and for dis mata, justice must prevail." NBA tok for statement.
NBA highlights laws wey dem break for di incident
Ibom Air and di Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) no get right to impose lifetime flight ban on Ms Emmerson, as di tori na one sided and dem neva hear from di passenger, and dat breach di fundamental principle of fair hearing and e render di decision legally and morally indefensible.
Sake of dat, di association say make appropriate authorities carry out independent and impartial investigation bifor dem take any disciplinary action against di passenger.
Also, di photographing, dissemination, and online circulation of indecent images of Ms. Emmanson na big invasion of privacy and na criminal act.
NBA argue say dem suppose blur or edit di videos wey expose her nudity to di public.
Dem say authorities must identify and prosecute those wey dey responsible for capturing and distributing di unedited footage.
"Such acts destroy public trust and undermine di rights of all citizens to be treated wit dignity and respect," NBA add.
