Leaked Video Sparks Sanctions Against Ibom Air Ground Crew
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has ordered disciplinary action against any Ibom Air personnel found responsible for leaking a video that captured the indecent exposure of a female passenger involved in an onboard altercation.
In a statement released on Monday, Keyamo emphasized that while recording such incidents for legal evidence is acceptable, publicly distributing footage that includes scenes of indecent exposure is “completely unacceptable.”
The video, which circulated on X, shows a visibly agitated female passenger physically assaulting a flight attendant and later confronting airport security officers aboard an Ibom Air flight.
Ibom Air had previously placed a travel ban on the passenger for attacking members of its cabin crew.
The aviation ministry also confirmed that the passenger has been formally charged and is currently being held at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
Keyamo explained that the woman was remanded after failing to provide sufficient sureties during her court appearance.
“We are aware of the confrontation between the unruly passenger and ground staff prior to her being restrained, which stemmed from her refusal to cooperate,” the minister stated.
“While we support capturing her disruptive behavior on video for legal purposes, it is utterly DEPLORABLE to release footage that includes indecent exposure to the public with the intent to shame her. This behavior is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”
He added, “We will not sit by and allow the dignity of women to be undermined. I have instructed that the staff member responsible for releasing that portion of the video be identified and appropriately disciplined.”
Keyamo further instructed airlines to enhance their staff training in areas of customer relations and conflict management.
He also announced that a joint security meeting with relevant stakeholders will take place next week to strengthen the response to similar situations in the future.
“For passengers with legitimate complaints, there are established procedures for seeking redress,” he noted.
“The NCAA’s Consumer Protection Directorate continues to provide these avenues, and there’s no justification for taking the law into one’s own hands—a move that could lead to serious consequences.”
The minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to enforcing aviation regulations against disruptive passengers, including imposing extended flight bans and referring severe cases to law enforcement agencies for further action.
