TheCable

Allen Onyema, chief executive officer of Air Peace, has expressed the company’s readiness to operate direct flights to Israel.

Onyema said this when he paid a courtesy visit to Yakubu Pam, executive secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) in his office in Abuja over the weekend.

The airline’s founder was accompanied by Michael Freeman, Israeli ambassador to Nigeria.

He said Air Peace desired to kick off flights from Lagos to Tel Aviv in order to ease the burden of connecting flights on intending pilgrims from Nigeria.

On his part, Pam said: “Having a direct flight to Israel by a Nigerian airline will curtail the issue of high expenditure and reduce abscondment.”

“Our joy is that our own person, a Nigerian, will be the first to have this opportunity to airlift pilgrims directly to Israel”.

Pam added that it would drastically reduce the cost of flights, as he expressed gratitude to the ambassador for considering it imperative to pay a courtesy visit to NCPC.

“We are very humble to receive you here in your capacity as one who represents the entire country of Israel in Nigeria,” he said.

He further explained that NCPC was set up primarily to coordinate and supervise the movement of Christians to Israel and other holy places around the world.

Pam commended the ambassador for his zeal and doggedness in charting a way forward for Christian pilgrimage and also applauded Onyema for his national humanitarian interventions.

On his part, Freeman thanked the NCPC boss for all his efforts in advancing the cause of Christian pilgrimage in Nigeria.

He expressed delight in working with the NCPC.

“We have a true partnership to grow together,” Freeman added.