BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
In what many termed a powerful demonstration of humanitarian service and national commitment, Air Peace, on May 10, 2025, successfully executed a free rescue flight to repatriate 78 Nigerian women trafficked to Côte d’Ivoire.
The rescue operation, which has been widely praised as a milestone in private-sector-led humanitarian intervention, was carried out with the airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft, registration 5N-BQV, which departed Lagos at 14:14hrs and returned at 22:46hrs to a safe and emotional welcome.
The women, victims of deceit and exploitation, had been stranded in Abidjan with no means of escape, until Air Peace, at the directive of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, intervened.
“Human trafficking is a blight on our shared humanity. These women were lured with promises and ended up in misery. As an airline of the people, we cannot stand by while Nigerians suffer abroad. We will always rise to the occasion, because love for country and for humanity must compel action”, Onyema.
True to a pledge he made in April, Dr. Onyema ensured the rescue was fully sponsored by the airline, extending beyond the flight to include medical and psychosocial support for the returnees.
His compassion and patriotism have drawn national and international admiration, with many citing his consistent commitment to protecting Nigerians in distress globally.
The success of the operation was made possible through close coordination with the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan and the Nigerian Community in Côte d’Ivoire, who facilitated documentation and travel clearance for the victims.
Chief Michael Emeka Onwuchelu, President of the Nigerian Community in Côte d’Ivoire, described the mission as nothing short of divine intervention.
“What Dr. Onyema has done is beyond CSR, it is godly. For these women, this flight was a miracle.
At a time when many look away, Air Peace chose to act. The Nigerian community here is eternally grateful.”
Mr. Paul Obi, a senior official at the Office of the Chargée d’Affaires in the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, echoed the sentiment.
“It was a race against time. Many of these ladies were undocumented, exposed to abuse, and in dire conditions.
This act by Air Peace and its Chairman has restored dignity and hope. We encountered many diplomatic and logistical hurdles, but the airline’s support made this rescue achievable.”
For the Air Peace boss, the mission is part of a wider vision of using aviation as a force for social good.
“We will continue to stand in the gap when Nigerians are in distress, whether in Africa or beyond.
“We’re not just about flying aircraft; we’re about lifting lives. Our aircraft will always be available for noble causes. The suffering of our people anywhere in the world should concern us all”, he noted.
He added that the latest effort joins a growing list of selfless interventions by the airline.
In 2019, the airline evacuated 503 Nigerians from xenophobic attacks in South Africa. In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Peace operated international rescue flights to repatriate stranded citizens.
The airline also carried out evacuations during the Ukraine-Russia war in 2022 and brought home 277 Nigerians fleeing conflict in Sudan in 2023.
Stakeholders noted that Air Peace’s Abidjan rescue flight does not just flaunt operational capacity, but speaksnto moral leadership.
While many companies limit corporate social responsibility to cheques and photo ops, Dr. Onyema, they noted, continues to redefine what it means to be a true flag carrier, one that lifts not only passengers, but the nation’s spirit.
