Over 300 Nigerians traveling from various parts of the world are stranded in Chad after their Air France connecting flight from Paris developed a fault and made an emergency landing. Among the stranded passengers are elderly men, women, and children who have been stuck since Friday without clear communication from Air France.
Former House of Representatives member, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, who was on board, described their ordeal. “We came in yesterday (Friday) through Air France, there was an issue with the aircraft, we never knew that they were going to take us from America or Canada or any other part of the world to Chad,” he told Vanguard. “We got to Chad, there was an issue with the aircraft, as I am talking now, we don’t know our fate, they dumped us here.”
Agbonayinma, who is also a board member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, expressed frustration over the treatment they received. “We have elderly men and women, and children going through pains, this is not what we bargained for, this is unacceptable. They can’t do this to the whites, it’s only Nigerians and Africans. They have treated us as if we are animals but we are not, we are over 300 here stranded.”
Another passenger, who flew from New Jersey to Abuja, echoed the distress. “We left from New Jersey to Abuja, they left us here, they said that the aircraft had an issue and they brought us to Chad, they have refused to come and pick us back. This is the worst thing that can happen to anybody,” she said. “We are in a hot place, we are pleading with Air France to come and take us out of here.”
Passengers lamented the lack of communication and support from Air France. They reported that no airline staff addressed them until they protested, prompting the hotel management to contact Air France for accommodation arrangements.
The stranded travelers are appealing to Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation for assistance, highlighting the urgent need for better support and viable national airline options to avoid such situations in the future.
