Human rights lawyer David Ogebe has provided a detailed account of his seating arrangement during a recent flight incident, clarifying his close proximity to a female passenger at the centre of ongoing discussions on Ibom Air line.
Speaking about the incident from 01:59, Ogebe described exactly where he was seated in relation to the woman, noting that their positions placed them within arm’s reach on the small aircraft.
“Now, I was sitting to her immediate left. So, I was on the aisle seat to the left. She was on the aisle seat to the right,” Ogebe explained. “My seat number was 14B. There was a gentleman to my left who was on 14A. So, her own seat number should be either 14C or D. I think the window seat is 14D while she was 14C on the aisle.”
According to Ogebe, the close seating arrangement meant there was little physical distance between him and the woman. “We’re right next to each other and it was a small plane,” he said. “I think the distance between us was no more than two feet.”
The lawyer’s clarification appears aimed at dispelling speculation about the circumstances surrounding the flight encounter. He stressed that the aircraft’s configuration made proximity unavoidable for passengers in adjacent seats.
“The plane was small enough that everyone could hear conversations in nearby rows, and the aisle seats were only separated by a narrow walkway,” he noted. “It’s not like a wide-bodied jet where you have a lot of space between passengers.”
Ogebe’s statement comes as part of a broader narrative surrounding the flight, which has attracted public and media attention. Although he did not elaborate on the specific incident that prompted the scrutiny, his remarks indicate a desire to provide factual clarity.
“I believe it’s important to be precise about details,” Ogebe added. “When events are being examined or misinterpreted, even something as simple as a seat number can make a difference in understanding what actually happened.”
Aviation experts note that seat configuration can indeed play a role in passenger interactions. On smaller regional jets, aisle seats facing each other across the aisle are typically no more than 18 to 24 inches apart. “Proximity in those settings is a given,” said one aviation analyst, who was not speaking about this case specifically.
While Ogebe did not make further allegations or comments about the other passenger’s behaviour, his testimony highlights how physical arrangements on board can influence the perception of events.
“This isn’t about taking sides,” he emphasised. “It’s about stating the facts as they were, down to the specific positions and distances, so that anyone looking into the matter can have an accurate picture.”
