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NBA Slams Ibom Air Over Passenger’s Ordeal, Calls For Investigation

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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has criticised Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria over their handling of an August 10, 2025, incident involving Comfort Emmanson aboard an Ibom Air flight.

 

NBA described the airline’s actions, including a lifetime flight ban imposed on Ms. Emmanson, as “reckless,” “unlawful,” and a violation of her right to dignity.

“The treatment of Ms. Comfort Emmanson by Ibom Air was reckless and violated her right to dignity of a human person,” the body said in a statement by its president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, and general secretary, Dr Mobolaji Ojibara.

According to the statement, Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, publicly stripped of her clothing, and humiliated in an incident that was recorded and widely circulated online.

It called the treatment “degrading” and a breach of her privacy and dignity, falling short of expected standards in the aviation industry.

“The Nigerian Bar Association strongly condemns the treatment of Ms. Comfort Emmanson in the incident aboard an Ibom Air flight on 10 August 2025 and the subsequent lifetime flight ban imposed on her by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria. These actions are heavy-handed, unlawful, and a grave affront to the rule of law and human dignity.

“It is deeply disturbing that Ms. Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, stripped of her clothing in public, and subjected to humiliation that was filmed and circulated online. Such conduct is degrading, violates her right to dignity and privacy, and falls far short of the standards of civility and professionalism expected in the aviation sector. No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be treated in such a dehumanising manner.

“While Ibom Air has issued its account of events, other video footage has emerged showing an Ibom Air hostess preventing Ms. Emmanson from alighting from the aircraft, a conduct that could constitute false imprisonment and a possible provocation that escalated the situation. This makes it all the more critical that the matter be subjected to an independent, impartial investigation by the appropriate authorities before any disciplinary action is taken against her.”

The association criticised the lifetime ban as a violation of fair hearing principles, arguing that Emmanson was not allowed to respond to the allegations.

“The decision to impose a lifetime ban without affording Ms. Emmanson a fair opportunity to be heard is equally troubling. Ibom Air has so far only presented its own version of events without giving her the chance to respond.

“This one-sided process, culminating in a ban supported by AON, breaches the fundamental principle of fair hearing and renders the decision legally and morally indefensible. The power to suspend or restrict a passenger’s right to fly rests with the appropriate statutory regulator, not private associations or airline operators acting unilaterally. The photographing, dissemination, and online circulation of indecent images of Ms. Emmanson is also an egregious invasion of privacy and a criminal act.

“Even if the incident was to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited in such a way that it did not expose her nudity to the public. Those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage must be identified and prosecuted. Such acts erode public trust and undermine the rights of all citizens to be treated with dignity and respect,” it said.

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Transfer: Real Madrid , Cucurella Reach Verbal Agreement 

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Chelsea reliable defender, Marc Cucurella may join Spanish giant, Real Madrid before the end of the current transfer window.if information from transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano are anything to go by.

 

Romano In a latest transfer update, said Real Madrid has reached verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.

“Verbal agreement in place between all parties, player too — he’s the left back wanted by Mourinho” the update read.

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Hakimi, Vinicius Barred From Speaking Spanish At World Cup

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FIFA has come under scrutiny after several high-profile players, including Achraf Hakimi and Vinicius Junior, were discouraged from speaking Spanish during media engagements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

 

The issue first surfaced ahead of Morocco’s Group C clash with Brazil when a Spanish-speaking journalist attempted to question Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi in Spanish.

Despite Hakimi, who grew up in Madrid and speaks the language fluently, indicating he was comfortable answering in Spanish, event officials reportedly insisted that questions be asked in English.

Hakimi attempted to reassure organizers that language would not be a barrier, but officials maintained that no Spanish translator was available for the session. A compromise was eventually reached, with the reporter asking the question in Spanish while Hakimi responded in English.

The controversy intensified during Brazil’s media session when Vinicius Junior was also interrupted while responding to a question in Spanish.

The Real Madrid forward, who is more comfortable speaking Portuguese or Spanish than English, was reportedly asked by organizers to switch languages.

Rather than continue in Spanish, Vinicius opted to answer in Portuguese before turning his attention back to Brazil’s World Cup preparations.

The incidents sparked widespread debate among journalists and fans, many of whom questioned why Spanish—a language spoken by millions across North America—was effectively restricted at a tournament being hosted largely in the United States.

According to Spanish media outlet El País, FIFA only provides Spanish-language translation services at World Cup press conferences involving Spanish-speaking nations such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

For all other teams, questions and answers are expected to be conducted either in English or the official language of the participating country.

The policy has generated criticism online, with many supporters arguing that multilingual communication should be encouraged at a global event like the World Cup.

The backlash was particularly strong in Vinicius’ case, as the Brazilian forward appeared visibly uncomfortable being asked to communicate in English.

The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise a highly anticipated encounter between Brazil and Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

With the issue now drawing international attention, FIFA may face increasing calls to review its media language guidelines as the tournament progresses.

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It’s Illegal’…Falana’s Bombshell Indicts Govs, FG.

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Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has warned federal and state governments against negotiating with and rewarding terrorists.

 

According to Falana, the practice is illegal.

He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting in Abuja on June 13, 2026.

Falana claimed it is public knowledge officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits, which has led to thousands of ‘repentant’ criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.

Asserting that the “satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed” under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana insisted that “their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”

Highlighting the legal consequences, he quoted Section 22 of the Act, stating: “A person who knowingly—(a) arranges, manages, assists in arranging or managing, participates in a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, (b) collects, or provides logistics, equipment, information, articles or facilities for a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, or (c) attends a meeting, which in his knowledge is to support a proscribed entity or to further the objectives of a proscribed entity, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.”

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