Air Peace gives Nigerian military personnel priority when it comes to boarding their planes

NIGERIAN domestic airline Air Peace has announced the introduction of a priority boarding policy for military personnel under a scheme designed to honour them for huge sacrifices they make for the nation in the fight against terrorism.

Of late, Nigeria has been reeling from the effects of gross insecurity as with over 6m illegal arms on the country, criminals and murderers are having a field day. Apart from Boko Haram and its breakaway group Islamic State in the West African province engaging in terrorist activities in the northeast, kidnappers, armed bandits, armed robbers, murderous Fulani cattle herdsmen, rapists, etc are all running riot across Nigeria at the moment.

Air Peace has established itself as Nigeria's leading airline of late and attained international fame during the recent pandemic when it showed it had the capacity to bring stranded Nigerians back home from all over the world. It has also been involved in airlifting Nigerians who are victims of xenophobia in South Africa and bringing them back home.

In its latest move, Air Peace is now giving both serving and retired military personnel priority when it comes to boarding their planes. Air Peace chief executive Allen Onyema, said that the airline holds the military in high regard and appreciates their indispensable contributions in securing Nigeria and defending its territory from external aggression.

Stressing that uniformed men and women put their lives on the line in the course of defending the state and its interests against external armed threats, Mr Onyema added that the new policy of boarding military personnel first before other passengers commenced on January 12, 2022 and had become a permanent practice in all Air Peace counters. He urged other passengers to show understanding and cooperate with the airline to ensure a seamless implementation of the new policy.

Mr Onyema said: “This priority boarding policy we are introducing is our own way of appreciating and recognising the noble and patriotic efforts of the officers and men of Nigeria’s armed forces for the risks they take and all the sacrifices they make in defending the territorial integrity of this country. Our ground staff have also been enjoined to appreciate them."