May 11, (THEWILL) – In a remarkable show of patriotism and humanitarian commitment, Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, on May 10, 2025, conducted a free rescue flight to evacuate 78 trafficked Nigerian women stranded in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The rescue mission, operated with a Boeing 737 aircraft (registration 5N-BQV), departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 2:14 p.m. and landed at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, where the women were received before being airlifted back to Nigeria. The flight returned to Lagos at 10:46 p.m., carrying the women—many of whom had endured months of exploitation, abandonment, and trauma.
The intervention was championed by the Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Dr Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, who earlier in April pledged to repatriate the trafficked victims at no cost to the government or their families.
“Human trafficking is a blight on our shared humanity,” Dr Onyema said while receiving the returnees at the Lagos airport.
“These women were deceived, exploited, and left in misery. As an airline of the people, we cannot stand by while our fellow Nigerians suffer abroad. We must act—because love for country and humanity demands it.”
The mission was made possible through a coordinated effort involving Air Peace, the Nigerian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire, and the Nigerian Community in Abidjan, who worked tirelessly to ensure proper documentation and clearance for the returnees.
President of the Nigerian Community in Côte d’Ivoire, Chief Michael Emeka Onwuchelu, described the repatriation as “divine intervention.”
“What Dr Onyema has done is beyond corporate social responsibility—it is an act of God. At a time when others turned away, Air Peace chose to step in. For these women, this flight was a miracle.”
Also speaking, Mr Paul Obi, a senior official from the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, praised Air Peace for its swift response.
“This was a race against time. Many of the women were undocumented, vulnerable, and exposed to abuse. Thanks to Air Peace’s support, this operation was not only possible—it was successful.”
Dr Onyema stressed that the mission aligns with Air Peace’s longstanding commitment to social impact and national service.
“We’re not just about flying aircraft; we’re about lifting lives. Wherever Nigerians are in distress—whether in Africa or beyond—we will always respond. Our aircraft will remain available for noble causes.”
This latest humanitarian intervention adds to Air Peace’s growing legacy of rescue operations. In 2019, the airline evacuated 503 Nigerians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it repatriated stranded citizens from various parts of the world. In 2022, Air Peace conducted emergency evacuations from Ukraine during the Russia invasion, and in 2023, airlifted 277 Nigerians fleeing conflict in Sudan.
Beyond its role as a commercial airline, Air Peace continues to redefine the meaning of being a national carrier—demonstrating not just operational capacity but moral leadership in times of crisis.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
