Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema yesterday said he decided to offer to evacuate stranded Nigerians from Sudan to ensure the safety of the citizens of Nigeria, noting that Nigeria cannot afford to lose any citizen as a result of the war.
He spoke following the arrival of 277 Nigerians from Egypt due the ongoing crisis in Sudan.
Air Peace deployed one of its wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft with Registration Number 5N-BVE, to operate the evacuation flight, which arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, around 23:00hrs on Wednesday, May 4, 2023.
The aircraft departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos at 15:10hrs on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
Crisis hits Lagos PDP as party suspends Chairman, Deputy
Malnutrition, threat to Nigerian children’s survival – FG
Onyema had offered to freely airlift Nigerians from the war-torn country of Sudan, requesting the federal government to get them to a neighbouring country, as the Sudanese airspace is temporarily closed for civil aviation.
Onyema said the stranded Nigerians needed urgent assistance, adding: “I am compelled to help because Nigeria cannot afford to lose her citizens in that country. It would be my own commitment to making sure that the stranded Nigerians in the war-torn country are safe.
“Everything must not be left for the government alone, especially as the situation calls for urgency and immediate action”.
With the arrival of this flight, Onyema has made good his promise and thanked the federal government for its role in making the evacuation flight possible.
