The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concern about the viral videos and reports detailing the alleged inhuman, and degrading treatment of a female passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmason, in an incident involving an Ibom Air flight and subsequent actions by personnel.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN while addressing a press conference in Abuja condemned any violation of the dignity of a person and asserted that such actions have no place in a civilized society.
According to the learned Silk, the prohibition of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment is an absolute and non-derogable right, meaning it cannot be suspended or limited under any circumstances.
"This fundamental principle is enshrined in both national, regional and international instruments. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention Against Torture (CAT), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) all unequivocally prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment", he stated.
The Chief Human Rights Officer of Nigeria while regretting some ugly incidents in the nation's aviation industry recently said the NHRC also hosts Nigeria’s National Preventive Mechanism established under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, wondering why any citizens should be subjected to indecent and dehumanizing treatment.
Similarly, he cited Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees the right to human dignity. It provides that: “Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly - (a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment."
In the same vein, the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, prohibits the following acts and designates them as torture: physical torture; systematic beatings, head-bangings, punching, kicking, striking; mental or psychological torture; threatening a person with bodily harm; inflicting shame by stripping a person naked, parading him in a public place; causing unscheduled transfer of a person from one place to another, confinements in jails and prisons; amongst others.
The NHRC Boss emphasised that the protection against torture, inhuman and degrading treatment extends fully to all persons, including even criminal suspects.
"An individual's right to dignity and humane treatment remains intact, regardless of the suspicion of any crime (whatever name called), notwithstanding the venue or nature and magnitude of the alleged offence they may have allegedly committed before law enforcement agencies."
Based on the publicly circulated video via social media, the NHRC notes with serious concern several actions that appear to constitute violations of Ms. Comfort Emmanson’s rights which include: the use of disproportionate physical force to restrain and or remove the passenger from the aircraft in an inhumane and degrading manner; and the stripping and exposure of the passenger’s intimate and private body parts, in our opinion constitute a severe violation of her dignity and privacy.
The Commission also frowned at the subsequent recording and widespread dissemination of these compromising videos on social media platforms, constitutes a secondary form of harm and further degrading treatment.
"These actions are clear affront to human dignity and are not justified by any initial conduct of the passenger. Under the Constitution and relevant International Instruments, there can be no justification for torture under any circumstances, especially the law enforcement agencies", Dr. Ojukwu said.
The Commission, the Executive Secretary stated, has noted the recent decisions of the Government and aviation authorities in taking decisive actions and issuing amnesty on the alleged offences involving the Ibom Air incident and a recent one involving Valu Jet Airline and Mr. Wasiu Ayinde Marshall.
"It is our respected view that all the human rights issues arising from both cases should be thoroughly addressed in the interest of rule of law and justice. These include the aforementioned infractions of the rights to dignity of the human person, and privacy and right to life and safety of self and other passengers", the Executive Secretary added.
The NHRC Chief Executive Officer referenced the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) as well as the National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Nigeria (NAP), which outline a corporate responsibility to respect human rights.
He therefore urged private companies like Ibom Air or ValueJet Airline to ensure their operations, staff, and security personnel acting on their behest do not cause or contribute to human rights abuses alone or in collaboration with other entities.
The Executive Secretary enjoined private companies to have proper protocols and training to handle difficult situations without resorting to inhumane and degrading treatment whether on passengers or on airline crew.
He said that the Commission is demanding a swift and decisive response from all relevant stakeholders to address these human rights violations arising from these incidents in line with Nigeria’s human rights obligations to prevent a recurrence.
The Commission is calling on the Aviation Authorities and Ministry of Aviation to immediately review and revise all protocols for managing unruly passengers to ensure full compliance with human rights standard, including the rights to life and safety of self and other passengers/crew members dignity, fair hearing, freedom of movement and freedom from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment.
The NHRC also calls on the relevant prosecutorial and investigative authorities to ensure the swift prosecution of any individuals implicated in the alleged human rights violations for criminal responsibility under the Anti-Torture Act, 2017.
The NHRC further pledges its support to victims on all sides in line with its mandate under sections 5 and 6 of the NHRC Act of 2010 and section 5 of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017.
"Furthermore, in line with section 5(L)(M)(O) of the NHRC Act, the NHRC have taken the unprecedented step today, the 13th of August 2025, to issue an Advisory to all Authorities and Persons exercising powers over the aviation industry on the “Right to Dignity and Protection Against Torture, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment in Aviation Operations in Nigeria.” the Executive Secretary stated.
This Advisory has become necessary to protect passengers, airline staff and the general public from human rights violations in operations of the industry.
The NHRC will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that the rights of Ms. Comfort Emmanson, other passengers, airline staff and crew members are protected and that all those responsible are held accountable.
