Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the lifetime flight ban imposed on a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, by Ibom Air, describing the move as unjust and a reflection of systemic inequality in Nigeria’s justice system.
In a statement sighted by PROMPT NEWS on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Obi acknowledged the passenger’s misconduct but questioned the airline’s swift decision, alleging a lack of due process.
“I apologised to Ibom Air and its crew for the unacceptable conduct of one of their passengers,” Obi wrote.
“But waking up to learn she has been banned for life only reinforces how our system works — punishing the weak while the powerful go unscathed.”
He argued that the speed of the sanction against Emmanson, a woman in her twenties, contrasted with the slow or absent punishment for politically connected individuals accused of more serious offences.
Obi called for justice that is “consistent, compassionate, and rehabilitative,” warning that selective punishment amounts to oppression. “Power must never determine who is punished and who is pardoned,” he added.