The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the repatriation of 115 Nigerian nationals who were trafficked to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The victims are expected to arrive in Lagos today aboard a special flight operated by Air Peace, at no cost to the Nigerian government.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, announced this in a statement issued Saturday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the returnees will land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at approximately 3 p.m. Nigerian time.
“The Ministry wishes to inform that 115 Nigerian nationals, victims of trafficking, will be repatriated from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, today via a special Air Peace flight. This operation is carried out at no cost to the Nigerian Government,” the statement read.
The repatriation follows a promise by Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema, to evacuate underage Nigerian girls reportedly trafficked to the Ivory Coast, offering them free passage back home.
In a message shared on the airline’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Onyema condemned the trafficking of Nigerians, especially minors, describing it as “inhumane, ungodly, and callous.” He called for collective action to combat human trafficking in all its forms.
“We should discourage trafficking of any kind. It is inhumane and a good example of man’s inhumanity to man,” Onyema said. “We at Air Peace are ready to bring our fellow citizens back home free of charge.”
He further announced that the returnees would receive free medical care at Duchess International Hospital in Ikeja and called on the Nigerian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire to coordinate efforts for the safe return and reintegration of the victims.
This repatriation effort is part of a broader push by the Nigerian government and private sector to tackle human trafficking and support vulnerable citizens abroad.
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