The fallout from Ibom Air in-flight assault deepened on Monday after Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo read the riot act to unruly passengers — and former presidential candidate Peter Obi accused the government of applying “shameful double standards” in the case.
Keyamo had vowed that any passenger who assaults airline staff will face the full weight of the law, following the arrest of Comfort Emmanson for allegedly slapping a flight attendant.
But Obi, while condemning the attack and apologising to the crew member involved, said the public humiliation and swift prosecution of Emmanson exposed a justice system “that punishes the powerless while protecting the connected.”
He contrasted her treatment with that of another high-profile passenger who recently disrupted a flight, “endangering hundreds of lives,” yet faced no immediate arrest or court charges — allegedly because of political connections.
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“This is not just about one passenger,” Obi wrote on X. “It’s about a system where the poor are dragged through the mud while the rich and influential walk free. Justice must be blind — or it is not justice at all.”
The Aviation Minister’s stern warning has set the stage for a wider debate on equality before the law, with critics demanding answers over what they see as selective enforcement.