Editorial
Imo Jail Break: One Attack, Too Many
Nigeria is going through its worst moments. Lawlessness is fast gathering impulsion in the coun
try and there is every justification for Nigerians to palpitate and tremble. Criminal elements are labouring very hard to snatch the soul of the nation. The latest theatre of anarchy is in the South-East, especially in Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi States and a fraction of the South-South in Akwa Ibom and Delta States where security agents are daily confronted by non-state actors.
Jailbreak and bomb onslaughts on security formations in Owerri, the Imo State capital, led to the escape of 1,844 prison inmates with at least three people dead. The parallel attacks may be indicative of the fact that security agents are recording a streak of losses in the battle against felons. Specifically, on April 6, 2021, gunmen attacked the prison in Owerri. They also razed the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area Divisional Police Headquarters in Imo State.
Not done, the gangsters again bombed the Imo State Police Command Headquarters where about 50 vehicles and other property were razed. Military checkpoints were equally assailed with two soldiers reportedly killed. President Muhammadu Buhari appears to be incapacitated as he watches Nigeria voyaging towards self-destruction. Trouble everywhere. In the North-West, bandits are having unusual pleasure while in the North-East, terrorists have altered things for the worst. North-Central and South-West have persisted in the tenacious grip of bandits as well as farmers/herdsmen configurations.
Even the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, recently expressed concern for Nigeria’s unpleasant situation: “We are extremely concerned about the deteriorating security situation…Nigeria is facing a lot of problems everywhere – in the North-East, terrorism; in the North-West, banditry, kidnapping; in the Middle Belt, the farmers-herders conflict; in the South, the Niger Delta conflict everywhere. And the secession movements in the South-East. So, Nigeria is really struggling.”
It is sad that Nigeria still contends to live on after more than a century of amalgamation and six decades of independence. For all these years, our country, rather than wax stronger, is diminishing in strength. It has continually failed to provide welfare and security for its people. The state has lost power and control to criminals, regardless of the vain conceited posture by the government. Two days before the Owerri attacks, seven Hausa/Fulani ‘suya’ (roasted meat) vendors in Owerri markets were killed by gunmen.
Before the Owerri incident, Anambra, Ebonyi, Nasarawa and Delta States had also had their fair share of attacks. In the Obeagu, Egedegede, Amaizu and the Effium communities in the Ishielu and Ohaukwu Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, gunmen suspected to be of the Fulani extraction massacred 22 persons. The assailants are yet to be apprehended.
At Garaku Market in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, bandits bared their deadly fangs, and shot dead the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and another official. Also in the throes of killing is Anambra State where six police and four Naval officers including civilians were killed. A Chief Superintendent of Police was burnt alive in Akwa Ibom State. The deadly trail continued as criminals killed two police officers on escort duty in Warri, Delta State.
Bandits have seized Niger State and effectively control many communities. Farmers are surcharged before they can gain entrance to their farms. School children are abducted in large numbers in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara States at random. The situation is such that within the first six weeks of this year, 1,525 persons had been killed by terrorists, bandits and killer herdsmen. The Global Terrorism Index reported 1,606 killed in 125 incidents to make Nigeria the world’s third most terrorised country in 2020.
Similarly, Amnesty International affirmed that 1,126 people in rural communities in the North were slaughtered by bandits and herdsmen in the first six months of 2020. Alarmed by the figures, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Hassan Kukah, clearly captured the state of utmost abhorrence, “being the poverty capital of the world comes with its rewards such as banditry, violence, death, sorrow, blood, poverty and tears.”
The successive invasions and sacking of police stations, checkpoints and usurpation of arms in the South-East ought to have precipitated prophylactic intelligence action from security agents. It should have been apparent to the police that the criminals would eventually assault bigger targets if not arrested. Besides, the police headquarters in Owerri is near the Government House and much less than 30 minutes drive away from the Nigerian Army’s 34 Field Artillery Brigade Headquarters. Slow response to emergencies is part of the unfortunate banes of our security system. Thus, criminals operate for hours without any response from law enforcement agents.
Nigeria is disintegrating and we need to act fast. There is a deep mistrust towards the authorities by the people and likewise profound mutual antagonism among the ethnic nationalities and the numerous faiths. The government should stop alienating Nigerians particularly in the manner Kukah described as the incredible funding of billions of naira in “rehabilitating” terrorists and bandits who battle against the country with no programme of rehabilitation for their victims.
Certainly, our country is going through significant divergent forces. However, we think that the situation is not hopeless. The nation can still be rescued. As a first step, the government needs to soak up illicit arms. This has become necessary given the unrestrained arms inflow from Mali, Libya and Central African Republic, according to the US Military’s Africa Command. Also, the toxic mixing of politics and religion with security by the authorities should cease as this country may not survive another civil war.
To pull back from devastation, state governors must quickly set up and fund formidable state security outfits. To be effective, these must be completely devoid of politics and sectarian or partisan contemplations. Furthermore, State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly should, in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution, decentralise policing immediately. The current failed central policing structure must be disbanded forthwith.
It began as a seemingly minor in- flight disagreement. Comfort Emmason, a passenger on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, reportedly failed to switch off her mobile phone when instructed by the cabin crew. What should have been a routine enforcement of safety regulations spiralled into a physical confrontation, sparking a national debate on the limits of airline authority and the rights of passengers.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) wasted no time in condemning the treatment meted out to Emmason. In a strongly worded statement, the body described the incident as “a flagrant violation of her fundamental human rights” and called for a thorough investigation into the conduct of the airline staff. The NBA stressed that while passengers must adhere to safety rules, such compliance should never be extracted through intimidation, violence, or humiliation.
Following the altercation, Emmason found herself arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court and remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, a location more commonly associated with hardened criminals than with errant passengers. In a surprising turn of events, the Federal Government later dropped all charges against her, citing “overriding public interest” and concerns about due process.
Compounding her woes, Ibom Air initially imposed a lifetime ban preventing her from boarding its aircraft. That ban has now been lifted, following mounting public pressure and calls from rights groups for a more measured approach. The reversal has been welcomed by many as a step towards restoring fairness and proportionality in handling such disputes.
While her refusal to comply with crew instructions was undeniably inappropriate, questions linger about whether the punishment fit the offence. Was the swift escalation from verbal reminder to physical ejection a proportionate response, or an abuse of authority? The incident has reignited debate over how airlines balance safety enforcement with respect for passenger rights.
The Tide unequivocally condemns the brutal and degrading treatment the young Nigerian woman received from the airline’s staff. No regulation, however vital, justifies the use of physical force or the public shaming of a passenger. Such behaviour is antithetical to the principles of customer service, human dignity, and the rule of law.
Emmason’s own defiance warrants reproach. Cabin crew instructions, especially during boarding or take-off preparations, are not mere suggestions; they are safety mandates. Reports suggest she may have been unable to comply because of a malfunctioning power button on her device, but even so, she could have communicated this clearly to the crew. Rules exist to safeguard everyone on board, and passengers must treat them with due seriousness.
Nigerians, whether flying domestically or abroad, would do well to internalise the importance of orderliness in public spaces. Adherence to instructions, patience in queues, and courteous engagement with officials are hallmarks of civilised society. Disregard for these norms not only undermines safety but also projects a damaging image of the nation to the wider world.
The Emmason affair is not an isolated case. Former Edo State Governor and current Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, once found himself grounded after arriving late for an Air Peace flight. Witnesses alleged that he assaulted airline staff and ordered the closure of the terminal’s main entrance. This is hardly the conduct expected of a statesman.
More recently, a Nollywood-worthy episode unfolded at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, involving Fuji icon “King”, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1. In a viral video, he was seen exchanging heated words with officials after being prevented from boarding an aircraft.
Events took a dangerous turn when the aircraft, moving at near take-off speed, nearly clipped the 68-year-old musician’s head with its wing. Such an occurrence points to a serious breach of airport safety protocols, raising uncomfortable questions about operational discipline at Nigeria’s gateways.
According to accounts circulating online, Wasiu had attempted to board an aircraft while he was carrying an alcoholic drink and refused to relinquish it when challenged. His refusal led to de-boarding, after which the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, imposed a six-month “no-fly” ban, citing “unacceptable” conduct.
It is deeply concerning that individuals of such prominence, including Emmason’s pilot adversary, whose careers have exposed them to some of the most disciplined aviation environments in the world, should exhibit conduct that diminishes the nation’s reputation. True leadership, whether in politics, culture, or professional life, calls for restraint and decorum, all the more when exercised under public scrutiny.
Most egregiously, in Emmason’s case, reports that she was forcibly stripped in public and filmed for online circulation are deeply disturbing. This was an act of humiliation and a gross invasion of privacy, violating her right to dignity and falling short of the standards expected in modern aviation. No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be subjected to such degrading treatment.
Ibom Air must ensure its staff are trained to treat passengers with proper decorum at all times. If Emmason had broken the law, security personnel could have been called in to handle the matter lawfully. Instead, her ordeal turned into a public spectacle. Those responsible for assaulting her should face prosecution, and the airline should be compelled to compensate her. Emmason, for her part, should pursue legal redress to reinforce the principle that justice and civility must prevail in Nigeria’s skies.