Air Peace has expressed its readiness to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan amid the ongoing fighting, free of charge.
Addressing aviation journalists on Sunday in Lagos, Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, lamented that Nigerian students and others stranded in the war-ridden North-East Africa country “needs our help.”
Onyema, however, said that the stranded Nigerians should be moved to a neighbouring country to enable the airline fly there and evacuate them, as Sudan’s airspace is closed from civil aviation flights.
He said he was compelled to help because Nigeria could not afford to lose her citizens, noting that this would be his commitment to making sure that the stranded Nigerians in the war-torn country were safe.
Although the Nigerian government had previously said it is “doing everything possible” to evacuate Nigerians currently stranded in Sudan as fighting in the African nation rages on.
But, the Air Peace boss stressed that everything must not be left to the government alone, especially as the situation calls for urgency and immediate action.
Onyema said: “I am compelled to help because Nigeria cannot afford to lose her citizens in that country. It would be my own commitment to make sure that the stranded Nigerians in the war-torn country are safe.
“Everything must not be left for government alone, especially as the situation calls for urgency and immediate action.
“Again, Air Peace is willing to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan free of charge if government can get them to a safe and secure airport in any of the neighbouring countries bordering Sudan.
“Everything must not be left for government and government alone. It will be a privilege and honour of tremendous pride that we will be out there to give every Nigerian stranded in Sudan a sense of pride and oneness in their country.
“We are very ready to do it immediately. No time wasting. Any action that would promote national pride, national cohesion, peace and unity, we are for it. Again, we have no apologies for believing in our nation and loving the nation despite certain national challenges.
“If they are moved to Kenya or Uganda or any other country, we will move in to get them out. Some parents have started calling on us to help. We are ready to do this again and again.”
This is not the first time that Air Peace has offered to help the Nigerian government. METROWATCHXTRA.COM recalls that the Airline had in 2019, deployed flights to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa amid raging xenophobic attacks against other Africans living in that country, which threatened the lives of many Nigerians.
Meanwhile, reports claim that no fewer than 4,000 Nigerians, including students, are stranded in Sudan over the war that broke out in the North-East Africa country about two weeks ago between two warring military factions.
While the groups were allies and seized power in 2021, tensions have increased over the proposed integration of the paramilitary forces into the Sudanese military.
Some other countries including the United Kingdom have completed evacuation of their citizens from the war-ridden Sudan, as confirmed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Over 400 people have been killed in the fighting, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
