Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, has bemoaned the treatment meted out to Miss Comfort Emmanson, the lady at the centre of the Ibom Airline incident.
Recall that pandemonium broke out on an Ibom aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday when Emmanson had a physical confrontation with the flight crew.
She was said to have assaulted the flight crew before she was yanked off the plane. She was later arraigned before a court that remanded her to Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
She has also been banned by Airline Operators for life.
Reacting to the development, Obi said the reaction of the authorities to the actions of Emmanson highlights how unfair, unjust and lawless Nigeria is.
He stated that while Emmanson was quickly arraigned and jailed, Fuji artiste, Wasiu Ayinde, who committed a worse offence, has since been let off the hook.
He said, “I strongly condemn the dehumanising treatment meted out to this young woman. Stripping her publicly was not only unnecessary but also represents the height of rascality and abuse by our agencies. It is unacceptable that she was hurriedly taken to court and remanded, while someone who visibly held a plane from taking off and put hundreds of lives at risk is still at large, with government agencies and some state officials speaking up for him to be forgiven.
“This case is not just about one young woman, it is about the double standards that poison our justice system. Justice in Nigeria must never be about who is poor or powerless versus who has influence or access to government officials.
“While Ms. Comfort Emmanson is in jail, the other offender who committed a more severe offence has not been held to the same standard. He has neither been arrested nor arraigned in any court.”
He underscored the need to be fair and just in the application of laws, saying selective dispensation of justice portends danger for the country.
“We must build a country where justice is fair, equal, and not selective, especially against women who are seen to be weaker. This young lady’s offence does not compare to the crimes committed daily by those parading themselves as “excellencies” while looting public funds without consequence, and yet they have not been stripped or dehumanised in the name of justice.
“We must end this selective treatment of the poor or less privileged. If justice must be served, it should be served to all, and it must be served fairly. The Minister of Aviation and other relevant authorities owe the public an explanation for these double standards in their adjudication. Justice must be just, or it is nothing at all.”