The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for a comprehensive legal overhaul of Nigeria’s airline operations, with a particular focus on strengthening protections for passengers’ rights.

This was as the commission condemned the alleged inhuman and degrading treatment of a female passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, in an incident involving an Ibom Air flight, warning that such violations have no place in a civilised society.

At a press conference on Wednesday, NHRC Executive Secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN), described the acts captured in viral videos, including the use of disproportionate force, public stripping, and the circulation of compromising footage, as a severe breach of dignity, privacy, and human rights.

He stressed that torture, inhuman, and degrading treatment are prohibited under Nigerian law, the Constitution, and international conventions, with no justification under any circumstances.

He also cited the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, which criminalises both physical and psychological abuse, and affirmed that protections extend to all persons, including criminal suspects.

While noting recent government interventions in the Ibom Air case and a separate incident involving ValueJet Airline and musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, Ojukwu insisted that all human rights issues arising from both cases must be thoroughly addressed.

He emphasised that airlines and their personnel, including security agents acting on their behalf, have a duty under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Human Rights to prevent abuses in their operations.

He urged aviation authorities to review passenger management protocols immediately, mandate human rights and de-escalation training for all staff, and sanction any staff members who violate these protocols.

Calling for the swift prosecution of anyone implicated in the violations, the NHRC official also issued an advisory to all aviation industry actors on the right to dignity and protection against torture in airline operations.

He pledged the commission’s commitment to ensuring justice for all affected parties, reaffirming its mandate to protect the rights of Nigerians and promote accountability in both public and private sectors.