Olajengbesi condemned the alleged hasty arraignment and remand of Emmanson at Kirikiri Prison, calling it “an abuse of the judicial process” and a violation of her right to a fair hearing under Section 36 of the Constitution.
Prominent lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi has said the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has no legal authority to place Comfort Emmanson or anyone on a “No Fly” list, describing the decision as “reckless and unconstitutional.”
In a statement on Monday, Olajengbesi said, “No provision of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, nor any other extant law in Nigeria, empowers the AON, a mere voluntary trade association, to impose a No-Fly ban on any individual.” He noted that only the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is empowered under Sections 31 and 32 of the Act to enforce flight restrictions.
Olajengbesi condemned the alleged hasty arraignment and remand of Emmanson at Kirikiri Prison, calling it “an abuse of the judicial process” and a violation of her right to a fair hearing under Section 36 of the Constitution.
The AON announced the lifetime ban after an incident on an Ibom Air flight on August 10, alleging Emmanson assaulted crew members and endangered passengers. AON spokesperson Professor Obiora Okonkwo said such behaviour would no longer be tolerated.
Olajengbesi warned that such actions erode the rule of law, stressing, “Justice must remain the bedrock of our society, anything less is an invitation to lawlessness.”