Xenophobia: Air Peace Begins free Airlift Of Nigerians From South Africa
…Onyema Says Nobody Was Recruited To Collect Money
Air Peace has concluded arrangements to airlift Nigerians willing to return home following xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
According to reports from the media, an official who craved anonymity said that the evacuation was deferred to next week to enable some of the evacuees obtain travel certificates because some of them do not have valid travel documents.
“The Air Peace flight to South Africa will take off from Lagos and land in South Africa. The take off could be Monday or Tuesday. This is because the Nigerians in South Africa have to take travel certificate because many of them don’t have travel document and their passports had since expired.
“Air Peace has released its aircraft, Boeing 777 for the flight since Tuesday but the Nigerian High Commission needed time to register the Nigerians billed to travel. They are already doing that in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
“So those Nigerians that don’t have legal documents to continue to stay in South Africa are willing to return to their motherland,” said the source.
Meanwhile, the airline said the airlift is free and urged Nigerians not to pay any money to anyone.
The clarification became necessary following attempt by some fraudulent persons in South Africa who allegedly collected $1000 from the intending evacuees.
A mail sent by a Nigerian resident in South Africa, Fred Okeke, making enquiry about the payment reads: “We heard that you are donating the flight for free evacuation from South Africa to Nigeria, but it is very unfortunate to hear that they are asking the affected victims to pay the sum of $1000 as registration to be eligible to benefit from the fight. So I want to bring it to your notice.”
Responding, the chairman and chief executive officer of the airline, Mr. Allen Onyema warned the affected Nigerians not to fall prey to the scammers insisting that the evacuation is free.
“A Nigerian living in South Africa sent mail to the airline requesting to confirm whether the flight is free because some people were already collecting money for the flight.
“We are offering free trip to Nigerians in South Africa to return home after going through the traumatic experience of the attacks. Air Peace has said this is free and we are doing it in solidarity with the federal government.
“We have not designated or recruited any agent in South Africa to collect money on behalf of Air Peace. So nobody should pay money to anyone or group of persons posing as Air staff. Any Nigerian who has paid money for repatriation back to Nigeria with Air Peace should request for a refund and report to appropriate authorities,” said Onyema.
(News Gazette)
