National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has attributed the slow pace of home-bound airlift of Nigerian pilgrims that performed the just ended 2023 Hajj rituals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia back to Nigeria to logistics challenges.
The commissioner of operations, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa, made this known while addressing journalists in Makkah, saying the commission is compelled to abide by the Saudi’s new policy on evacuation of pilgrims from the Holy Land to various continents and countries around the world.
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So far, 8,296 Nigerian pilgrims out of over 95, 000 that performed the 2023 Hajj have been transported back home from the Holy Land.
He said of the five approved airlines for airlift operations of Nigerian pilgrims to and fro, only Flynas, a Saudi based airline was able to secure full allocations to evacuate pilgrims through the Jeddah Airport, while the remaining four had their allocations at the Madinah Airport, which according to him, was very tedious and amount to logistic challenges for the commission.
“We normally transport our pilgrims back home through Jeddah Airport, but this year we realized four of the five approved airlines for airlift had their allocations for inbound operations in Madinah airport. Only Flynas, a Saudi based airline has full allocation to evacuate pilgrims through Jeddah Airports. The truth of the matter is that 90 percent of our pilgrims started their Hajj rites from Madinah, taking them back to Madinah again means another expense because aside transporting them from Makkah to Madinah, you need to secure accommodation for the pilgrims on transit. Every payment for hajj services is done through Hajj quota which was even close before we departed Nigeria.
“So, for now only the Flynas is actively flying out, while Air Peace, MaxAir and Aero Contractors airlines are getting flight slots here and there which will not be satisfactory,” Hardawa lamented.
He, however, disclosed that the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) had waded into the matter for possible resolution that will hasten the transportation of Nigerian pilgrims back home soonest.
“Up to this very moment I’m telling you no additional approval has been given for the transportation of pilgrims through King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah.
“But GACA has invited airlines for a meeting and our officials will also attend the meeting, we hope by the end of the meeting we will have slots approved and transportation of pilgrims to Nigeria will commence in earnest involving all the approved carriers.
According to Hardawa because of slot constraint, the commission’s age-long policy of first in, first out in ensuring justice to the pilgrims has been altered.
“One will wonder as of now so many pilgrims have departed to Nigeria and Nasarawa Pilgrims who had the opportunity of coming first are still in the Kingdom, have we jettisoned the principle of first-in-first-out.
“We have not, but compelled by the circumstances. Flynas was able to secure all the slots it required to fly out all the pilgrims allocated to it from Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Lagos and Osun States and it has been busy doing that.”
“The Aero contractors, who are the carriers of Nasarawa State pilgrims, would transport the first flight of Nasarawa pilgrims to Nigeria today.
“Subsequent flights will depend on the outcome of the meeting currently taking place in Jeddah between GACA, air carriers and the officials of NAHCON.