312 Indians on Sunday departed the shores of Nigeria for their country due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indians left aboard an Air Peace airplane.
The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, while confirming the incident in a telephone interview with our reporter, said India was the third country Air Peace would be evacuating its nationals from Nigeria.
Onyema thanked the Indian, Chinese and Israeli governments for entrusting the lives of their citizens to the airline.
He noted that aside from India, the airline had also airlifted nationals of China and Israel, saying the development showed the level of confidence the governments of the three countries had in the company.
He said, “We thank the governments of India, China and Israel for having implicit confidence in the operation of the airline. Their choice of Air Peace to evacuate their citizens is a huge testament to their belief in the safety standards of the airline.
“Israel blazed the trail by getting Air Peace to evacuate Israelis at the beginning of this COVID-19 pandemic. We evacuated 270 Israelis and that was the first time there would be a direct flight from Nigeria to Israel in 60 years. It gladdened our heart the way the Israeli government and the people of Israel celebrated that feat.
“Two days ago, we evacuated 301 Chinese back to their country in a non-stop flight to Beijing. Today (Sunday), we evacuated 312 Indians back to their country.”
Onyema said the three countries, by the gesture, would create and retain more jobs in Nigeria through Air Peace.
He noted that the act also meant the foreign governments wanted the growth of indigenous investments in the country.
