Air Peace announced that it had dispatched a Boeing 737 aircraft (registration 5N-BQV) from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan. The flight, which took place on Saturday, safely brought back a group of Nigerian victims all at no cost.
Upon their return, Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema welcomed the repatriated individuals and reassured them that the Federal Government would support their reintegration. He dismissed any concerns about possible arrests, noting that government officials were present to receive them.
In a video shared on the airline’s Facebook page, Onyema addressed the group with words of encouragement. “We regret that you were misled. You are valuable and capable. There’s no need to take wrong paths to achieve success,” he said.
He urged the returnees to have confidence in themselves, emphasizing that their lives still held great potential. “Among you could be future leaders governors or even a president. Don’t underestimate your worth,” he added.
Onyema stressed the need to restore the women’s dignity, highlighting the suffering many of them had endured. “They deserve compassion and respect, not just a return ticket home,” he stated.
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As part of the reintegration effort, he announced that Duchess Hospital would provide free, full medical care for the women.
This mission marks another in a series of humanitarian efforts led by Onyema. In 2019, he gained international recognition when Air Peace flew 503 Nigerians out of South Africa during a wave of xenophobic attacks. During the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, the airline helped bring home stranded citizens from various countries. In 2022, it carried out emergency evacuations during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and in May 2023, it rescued 277 Nigerians escaping violence in Sudan.
