Ibom Air’s management stated on Monday that the airline had not made public the widely shared footage of a customer being hauled off an aircraft while n*ked.
This statement was made by Aniekan Essienette, Group Manager of Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, in response to the controversy surrounding the incident that has taken over social media.
In an interview with TVC News on Monday, Essienette stated that although the footage was captured on the aircraft, Ibom Air employees did not record or distribute it. She added that while the video was recorded on the plane, several of the passengers were not Ibom Air staff members. “Anyone could have taken it,” she said...READ FULL; FROM THE SOURCE.
“I can tell you categorically that Ibom Air did not release the video. We do not condone such indecent exposure, and it is unfortunate that the video has gone viral,” she stated.
In violation of safety regulations enforced by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which require the complete shutdown of devices during flight, the passenger allegedly refused to turn off her electronic device, leading to the incident on August 10.
When the passenger refused to exit, the crew restrained her to ensure her safe removal, prompting the pilot-in-command to call for security, according to the Ibom Air official.
“Our crew had to restrain her to ensure security could esc*rt her off the plane,” she explained.
The intervention came amid growing public outcry over the incident, which has sparked discussions in Nigeria regarding airline behaviour, passenger rights, and aviation security.
Many Nigerians have condemned the video’s wide distribution, calling the passenger’s treatment dehumanising and degrading.
Ms. Essienette defended the airline’s actions despite the criticism, emphasising Ibom Air’s commitment to safety and customer service.
“Ibom Air values our customers and prides itself on reliability and excellent service. We remain committed to these principles,” she said.
She urged passengers to respect aviation regulations, stressing that “most people obey the rule to switch off devices. The airline environment is controlled, and safety must come first.”
However, Ibom Air has not yet stated if it will investigate the source of the video leak or take action against those involved.
