The Duke and Duchess of Sussex faced backlash over claims of accepting free flights within Nigeria from Air Peace, an airline reportedly associated with its founder, Dr. Allen Onyema, who is allegedly wanted in the United States for fraud charges.
While British Airways facilitated their international travel, Harry and Meghan utilized Air Peace for domestic flights during their three-day stay in Nigeria.
According to reports, Onyema is facing charges related to alleged fraud amounting to millions of dollars, as detailed in a federal indictment from November 2019.
A source close to the royal couple denied the allegations, asserting that their travel arrangements within Nigeria were coordinated by the Nigerian Chief of Defense Staff. The source emphasized Air Peace's status as the largest airline in Nigeria and West Africa, with regular flights to London Gatwick airport.
The indictment accuses Onyema of using his position as an airline executive to launder millions of dollars from Nigeria through US bank accounts.
However, there is no indication that Prince Harry and Meghan were aware of the charges against Onyema or the airline.
In addition to the controversy surrounding their trip, a royal commentator criticized the couple, labeling their actions as "very dangerous" and accusing them of seeking to challenge the authority of King Charles.
