By David Olalekan.
The Proprietor of Air Peace Airlines, Chief Allen Onyema, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered to evacuate Nigerians willing to return to the country from South Africa free of charge.
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye.
According to the statement, the airline would commence evacuation from Friday, 6th September 2019.
Nwonye enjoined all interested Nigerians to leverage on the laudable gesture and liaise with the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for further arrangement.
The statement reads: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the general public that following the recent unfortunate xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, including Nigerians in South Africa, the Proprietor of Air Peace Airlines Chief Allen Onyema, has volunteered to send an aircraft from Friday 6th September 2019 to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return to Nigeria free of charge.
“The general public is hereby advised to inform their relatives in South Africa to take advantage of this laudable gesture. Interested Nigerians are therefore advised to liaise with the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for further necessary arrangement.”
As part of definitive measures taken against renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, the Federal Government, had yesterday recalled Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa.
It also announced Nigeria’s withdrawal from the ongoing World Economic Forum taking place in Cape Town.