Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the handling of the recent Ibom Air incident involving passenger Comfort Emmanson, describing it as a glaring example of “double standards” in Nigeria’s justice system.
In a statement on Monday via his official X account, Obi apologised to the Ibom Air crew allegedly assaulted by Emmanson during a Lagos-bound flight from Uyo, urging Nigerians to embrace civility and self-restraint as “a true measure of success and decent living.”
However, he criticised what he called the “dehumanising treatment” meted out to Emmanson, who was reportedly stripped in public before being swiftly arraigned in court and remanded to prison.
Obi drew a sharp contrast with another high-profile aviation incident in which a passenger allegedly disrupted a flight and endangered hundreds of lives but has not been arrested or prosecuted.
According to him, some government officials even called for that individual to be pardoned.
“This case is not just about one young woman; it is about the double standards that poison our justice system. Justice in Nigeria must never be about who is poor or powerless versus who has influence or access to government officials,” Obi said.
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He argued that Emmanson’s treatment reflected a broader culture where the less privileged are punished swiftly, while politically connected offenders escape accountability.
“We must build a country where justice is fair, equal, and not selective, especially against women who are seen to be weaker.
This young lady’s offence does not compare to the crimes committed daily by those parading themselves as ‘excellencies’ while looting public funds without consequence, and yet they have not been stripped or dehumanised in the name of justice,” Obi stated.
Calling for transparency, Obi urged the Minister of Aviation and other authorities to clarify the perceived inconsistencies in handling such cases.
“Justice must be just, or it is nothing at all. The rule of law based on justice for all must remain the guidepost of our democracy,” he concluded.