Determined to ensure that all intending Nigerian pilgrims registered for this year’s Hajj are airlifted to Saudi Arabia in good time before next week’s Monday, June 26, closure of Saudi’s airspace, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has unveiled plan to engage more aircrafts to conclude the airlift of private tour operators’ pilgrims.
The move came on the heels of apprehension among pilgrims of private tour operation over the dwindling number of scheduled airlines plying the Nigeria -Jeddah route, slowing pace of pilgrims’ movement to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. NAHCON on its part has transported over 60,000 states’ pilgrims.
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The commission in a statement signed by the head of public affairs, Hajiya Fatima Sanda Usara, said it is not unaware of the situation and had before now deployed all its resources to arrest the situation before it turns irredeemable.
“NAHCON is about to seal a fresh deal that would see all pilgrims from the private sector that paid to be airlifted by Arik Air safely in Saudi Arabia as planned,” Sanda said.
She said the commission is making arrangement for a charter flight to cushion the effect of the dwindling number of scheduled airlines plying the Nigeria -Jeddah route on behalf of private Hajj operators who are solely responsible for the ferrying of their pilgrims successfully to Holy Land.
“With 20,000 slots allocation, it was obvious the sector would do better with an organised charter arrangement to apprehend a frenzy situation during peak Hajj period. Otherwise, it is the sole responsibility of private tour companies to ferry their pilgrims successfully.
“Indeed, NAHCON entered an agreement with Arik Air to transport about 7,000 pilgrims registered with the private travel agencies for the 2023 Hajj. Arik on its part signed the deal with a Saudi based airline to ferry its allocation using two aircraft to be stationed in Lagos, Kano and Abuja. The said airline actually provided the agreed aircraft but having conveyed the first set of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, it never returned to finish its job. This led to pilgrims feeling abandoned.
“In fairness to both Arik and its partner, funds that were supposed to be advanced for the engagement were yet to be released at the time of airlift due to certain financial restrictions, a development that crippled the agreement despite NAHCON’s assurances.
“The commission has so far injected resources to keep this contract alive as well as exploring other options of engaging more local and foreign airlines to conclude the airlift of private tour operators’ pilgrims. The discussions have been positive with a couple of them about to sign agreements for the movement to continue,” the statement reads in part.
The commission reiterated its commitment to transport all pilgrims that registered for the 2023 Hajj within the season’s time frame, stating a strategic plan to move every intending pilgrim on ground before closure of Jeddah airport.
Sanda advised intending pilgrims at Lagos departure centre that started agitations to calm down and await their airlift to Saudi Arabia soon.