Only seven visitors – out of more than 250 – departed on January 4 return flight to Nigeria, airport sources claim

The empty charter plane that arrived in Antigua and Barbuda from Portugal on Tuesday, January 3, reportedly left the country on Wednesday, January 4, with far fewer African visitors than were listed on the manifest.

It was initially rumoured that the flight had brought in another set of people from the African continent; however, it was later verified that it had arrived here empty, with the expectation of flying the vacationers home.

While REAL News was first told that 25 people had shown up for the flight, airport sources now claim that only seven passengers departed for Nigeria. The manifest reportedly had just over 250 names listed for departure.

Questions are now being raised as to why Immigration officials did not ensure that the visitors left the country at their scheduled time.

A resident says that “normal” tourists do not miss their flights – other than in exceptional circumstances.

Accordingly, many persons remain suspicious about the reasons for Antigua and Barbuda having been targeted as a “tourist destination,” since the wealthy Nigerian investors that the Browne Administration promised have not come.  

At least five flights have arrived here from the African continent – the first on November 1 (Independence Day), followed by four others on December 24, 26, 27 and 29.