Air Peace Repatriates 78 Trafficked Nigerian Women from Côte d’Ivoire in Free Rescue Flight
In a remarkable show of patriotism and humanitarian commitment, Air Peace Limited, West and Central Africa’s largest airline, on Saturday 10 May 2025, conducted a free rescue operation to repatriate 78 Nigerian women who had fallen victim to human trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire.
The mission, led by the airline’s founder and Chairman, Dr Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, saw a Boeing 737 aircraft (registration 5N-BQV) depart Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 14:14hrs bound for Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan.
The aircraft returned to Lagos at 22:46hrs with the rescued women, many of whom shared traumatic tales of exploitation and abandonment in the Francophone West African country.
Dr Onyema, widely known for his selfless national interventions, had in April pledged to bring the trafficked women home at no cost to them or the Nigerian government. That promise culminated in Saturday’s successful operation, which also included arrangements for medical and psychosocial support for the victims upon their return.
“Human trafficking is a blight on our shared humanity,” Dr Onyema said at the Lagos airport as he personally welcomed the women home. “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.”
The operation was the result of collaboration between Air Peace, the Office of the Chargée d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, and the Nigerian Community in Côte d’Ivoire. Their coordinated efforts ensured that the victims were documented, cleared, and safely repatriated.
President of the Nigerian Community in Côte d’Ivoire, Chief Michael Emeka Onwuchelu, expressed profound gratitude to Dr Onyema and Air Peace for what he described as “a godly act”.
“What Dr Onyema has done is beyond corporate social responsibility—it is a divine intervention. For these women, this flight was nothing short of a miracle. At a time when many look away, Air Peace chose to act. The Nigerian community here is eternally grateful,” he said.
Mr Paul Obi, a senior officer representing the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, also praised the initiative. “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.”
Dr Onyema stressed that this initiative was part of a broader vision of using the airline’s reach for national service. “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.”
This mission adds to Dr Onyema’s distinguished record of humanitarian service. In 2019, he earned international acclaim when Air Peace evacuated 503 Nigerians during xenophobic attacks in South Africa. During the global COVID-19 crisis in 2020, the airline facilitated repatriations from around the world.
In 2022, Air Peace was instrumental in the evacuation of Nigerians from war-hit Ukraine, and in May 2023, it rescued 277 citizens fleeing conflict in Sudan.
Saturday’s flight to Abidjan once again reaffirms Air Peace’s commitment not only to operational excellence but also to moral leadership in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
At a time when corporate social responsibility often takes the form of financial donations, Air Peace continues to redefine national service – lifting not just passengers, but the very spirit of a nation.
