The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has condemned the circulation of indecent footage showing unruly passenger, Comfort Emmanson, during an incident aboard an Ibom Air flight.

Keyamo, in a statement on Saturday, described the release of the sensitive material as “totally unacceptable,” insisting that any staff member responsible for leaking the footage must be identified and sanctioned.

“Whilst we support the filming of her recalcitrant behaviour as evidence to prosecute her, what is deplorable is to release such evidence containing indecent exposure to the public to ridicule her. That is totally unacceptable to us. We will not fold our arms and tolerate the debasing of womanhood,” the minister said.

He further disclosed that Emmanson has already been slammed with an indefinite flight ban, both local and international, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). She was also arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and remanded at Kirikiri Prison after failing to produce sureties.

Keyamo, however, acknowledged the scuffle that occurred between the passenger and ground staff due to her alleged uncooperative behaviour, but maintained that professionalism must guide staff conduct in handling volatile situations.

To this end, he directed airlines to intensify training in public relations and crisis management while announcing a joint security meeting of relevant agencies next week to strengthen coordination in similar cases.

“For genuinely aggrieved passengers, there are clearly laid-down remedies to address grievances.

The Consumer Protection Directorate of the NCAA has consistently advertised these remedies, and there is no point trying to take the law into one’s hands in ways that could lead to dire consequences,” Keyamo added.