By Francis Ajuonuma
Air Peace on Wednesday concluded the Federal Government’s evacuation of stranded Nigerians from South Africa, returning the final batch of 308 citizens and bringing the total number evacuated to 1,393 in five separate rescue missions.
The last evacuation flight, operated with the airline’s Boeing 777-200 aircraft, landed at the Cargo and Hajj Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 11:28 a.m., marking the end of the humanitarian exercise coordinated by the Federal Government in partnership with Air Peace.
The returnees were received by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside senior immigration officials who welcomed them on behalf of the Federal Government.
Addressing the evacuees, Dabiri-Erewa acknowledged the hardship many of them endured during the crisis in South Africa and assured them of government support for their reintegration.
She said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to the welfare of Nigerians everywhere and will continue to support efforts aimed at their reintegration and wellbeing.”
The NiDCOM boss praised Air Peace and its Chairman, Dr Allen Onyema, for responding to the government’s call despite the commercial implications of the operation.
According to her, “Air Peace has once again demonstrated patriotism and commitment to national service by placing the interests of Nigerians above profit.”
The completion of the evacuation exercise represents one of Nigeria’s largest recent humanitarian airlift operations and highlights the role of public-private partnerships in responding to emergencies involving citizens abroad.
Air Peace said it deployed its Boeing 777-200 aircraft for all five evacuation missions, transporting 1,393 Nigerians back home under what it described as the highest standards of safety and operational efficiency.
The airline noted that the exercise went beyond transportation, reuniting families and providing relief to Nigerians displaced by the crisis.
It added that the operation further reinforced its record in humanitarian interventions, disclosing that it had carried out more than 20 evacuation and relief missions within Africa and beyond since commencing operations.
Air Peace stated, “Our commitment goes beyond connecting destinations. We remain ready to support Nigerians in times of uncertainty and to partner government in humanitarian interventions whenever called upon.”
