By Priye Briggs
Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, has completed the fourth stage of its humanitarian evacuation from South Africa, returning another 284 Nigerians in partnership with the Federal Government.
The latest evacuation was carried out with the carrier’s Boeing 777-200 wide-body aircraft. The airline said the mission demonstrates its commitment to supporting the country’s emergency response by providing safe and smooth transportation for Nigerians affected by the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Air Peace spokesperson, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, said in a statement: “With the successful completion of yesterday’s mission, Air Peace has now safely repatriated 1,085 Nigerians across four humanitarian evacuation flights, having previously evacuated 262 Nigerians on June 11, 271 on June 30, 268 on July 3, and 284 on July 9. The milestone further reinforces the airline’s enduring readiness to deploy its fleet and operational capabilities in the service of the nation whenever duty calls.”
The spokesperson added that the ongoing evacuation reflects Air Peace’s humanitarian philosophy rooted in compassion, patriotism, and commitment to ensuring Nigerians can always count on a safe journey home in times of crisis.
Osifo-Whiskey confirmed that initial evacuation efforts were briefly disrupted when an aircraft deployed to Johannesburg developed a technical fault, prompting the airline to dispatch another aircraft to complete the mission. Among the returnees were 272 adults, 12 infants, and two officials.