After months of fear, isolation, and broken promises, 78 Nigerian women who were trafficked to Côte d’Ivoire finally returned to Lagos following a free rescue flight by Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace.
The special flight, which landed in Lagos at 10:46 p.m. on Sunday, marked the end of a painful chapter and the beginning of a new life for the women, many of whom had been trapped in exploitative conditions.
Air Peace deployed one of its Boeing 737 aircraft (registration 5N-BQV) for the humanitarian mission, which departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, earlier that afternoon at 2:14 p.m., bound for the Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan.
By nightfall, the women, emotionally drained but visibly relieved, were finally back on home soil, free from the nightmare many had endured.
Their return marked the result of a joint effort by Air Peace, the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, and leaders of the Nigerian community in Côte d’Ivoire. Together, they ensured the women were properly documented and cleared for return.
Allen Onyema, CEO of Air Peace, had earlier pledged to fly the women back to Nigeria at no cost. a promise he fulfilled with passion and compassion.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, Onyema said: “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. 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.”
Chief Michael Emeka Onwuchelu, President of the Nigerian Community in Côte d’Ivoire, also praised the airline’s intervention:
“What Onyema has done is beyond corporate social responsibility; it is godly,” he said. “For these women, this flight was a miracle. At a time when many looked away, Air Peace chose to act. The Nigerian community here is eternally grateful.”
From the Nigerian Embassy’s side, Mr Paul Obi, a senior official in the Office of the Chargée d’Affaires, described the effort as timely and life-saving.
“It was a race against time. Many of these ladies were undocumented, exposed to abuse, and in dire conditions,” Obi said. “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 78 women, this was more than a flight home, it was a flight back to freedom.
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