“They told us we were going abroad for work. Instead, they robbed us of our freedom…”
In a deeply touching show of patriotism and concern, Air Peace has brought back home 78 young Nigerian women who had fallen victim to human trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire. These ladies, who were misled, used, and left stranded in a foreign land, have now returned safely to Nigeria without paying a dime—courtesy of the airline’s humanitarian effort.
Authorities revealed that the victims were tricked with fake job offers, only to end up in modern slavery. Their desperate situation drew the attention of the Nigerian government and some NGOs, leading to immediate calls for their evacuation.
Air Peace rose to the occasion.
Under the leadership of its Chairman, Allen Onyema, the airline dispatched an aircraft—fully funded by the company—to fly them back, in a rare and commendable display of corporate responsibility in a country where victims are often left behind.
“This is beyond flying aircraft; it is about restoring the dignity of our people,” Onyema is quoted as saying.
The women, although visibly traumatised, arrived in Nigeria with a sense of relief. Their return home was not just a journey across borders—it was the reclaiming of hope, identity, and belonging.
The Nation’s Ongoing Struggle
Human trafficking remains a pressing issue in Nigeria, especially affecting women and girls seeking greener pastures abroad. Due to harsh economic conditions, high unemployment, and insecurity, many are easily lured by traffickers pretending to be foreign job recruiters.
While this rescue is a major win for the 78 women who made it back, it also highlights a painful truth: thousands more are still trapped in inhumane conditions across the globe—many working in brothels, as domestic slaves, or in even worse situations.
