National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Thursday declared that contrary to the report, there were no Nigerian pilgrims stranded in Niger Republic due to the military coup in the Franco-West African country.
There was report that a Max Air aircraft 5N-ADM, conveying Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia was stranded at the airport in Niamey, the Niger Republic capital.
The report added that the aircraft landed at the Niamey airport at 21:40 hours (22:40 hours, local time) with 360 Nigerian pilgrims and was piloted by Captain Maitama Kabo with 17 other crew members onboard.
Reacting to the report, NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, assured that no Nigerian pilgrims are stranded in Nigeria’s West African neighbouring country.
Ubandawaki stated that the two Max Air flights that departed Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for Katsina and Kano had landed safely in their various destinations in Nigeria.
According to the NAHCON official, “No Nigerian Pilgrims in Niger Republic. The two flights that departed this (Thursday) morning have safely landed in Katsina and Kano. Both aircraft are on the ground in Kano.”
He informed that the Max Air aircraft stranded at Niamey airport was the third aircraft belonging to the Nigerian airline that was being used to airlift Niger Republic pilgrims.
“The aircraft stuck in Niamey is the third MaxAir aircraft 5N-ADM being used to airlift Niger Republic pilgrims,” Ubandawaki stated.
Flight information made available to Tribune Online by NAHCON Control and Command Centre revealed that Max Air flight NGL2014 departed Jeddah to Katsina at 04:45hrs (2:45 am, Nigerian time) with 550 Katsina State pilgrims, bringing the total number airlifted to 63,033 in 159 flights.
The centre also informed that another Max Air flight NGL5024 departed Jeddah to Kano at 07:44hrs (5:44 am, Nigerian time) with 405 Kano State pilgrims and five officials, taking the tally of Nigerian pilgrims ferries home so far to 63,438 in 160 flights.
Meanwhile, as of 8:27 am Nigerian time, a total of 63,862 Nigerian pilgrims have departed Saudi Arabia for the country after completing this year’s Hajj exercise on June 30.
A Fly Nas flight departed the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah with 424 Niger pilgrims and three officials, bringing the total flights to 161.
A total of 75,000 pilgrims, out of the 95,000 allocated to Nigeria, performed this year’s Hajj with the various state pilgrims’ welfare boards, including the Federal Capital Territory and the armed forces.
The remaining 20,000 pilgrims performed the spiritual exercise with members of Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN).
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