Nigeria Appeals to Saudi Authorities to Increase Its Hajj Quota

* Hundreds of intending pilgrims stranded at Lagos Airport as Arik Air fails to provide aircraft

Chinedu Eze

Nigeria has appealed to the Saudi Arabian Government to increase its Hajj Pilgrims’ quota, in view of the increase in demand for Hajj seats from Nigerians wishing to undertake the religious journey.

This came as hundreds of intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia were stranded yesterday at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, (MMIA) Lagos, as the indigenous carrier, Arik Air, failed to provide aircraft to airlift them to the holy land.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Yahaya Lawal made the assertion during an interview at the meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah.

Lawal said at present Nigeria is the fourth or fifth country with the largest number of pilgrims that participate in Umrah and Hajj exercises in the Kingdom, year in, year out.

The envoy further reiterated his earlier advice to Nigerian Pilgrims to be good ambassadors of their country and religion by being law-abiding and respecting laid down rules and regulations for ease of interaction while in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Holy and Spiritual Pilgrimage.
He enjoined Nigerian pilgrims to make maximum use of Allah’s given opportunity to maximise their temporal and spiritual benefits of the Hajj exercise.
Lawal also called on the pilgrims to diligently utilise facilities put in place to ensure their comfort, well-being and ease of performing the Hajj rites and other religious activities.

Meanwhile, hundreds of intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia were stranded yesterday at the MMIA in Lagos, as the indigenous carrier, Arik Air, failed to provide aircraft to airlift them.
The affected intending pilgrims were those scheduled to be carried by the private tour operators under the aegis of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON).

Some of the tour operators had booked Arik Air, one of the airlines approved by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the airlift of pilgrims to the Holy Land.
But when the travellers came to the airport as scheduled, the airline did not provide aircraft.
Consequently, the would-be pilgrims started protesting against the delayed airlift at the international wing of the airport and the airline’s head office at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) located at the domestic wing of the airport.

Arik Air was allocated pilgrims from AHUON and the airline was to airlift pilgrims from Lagos, Kano, and Abuja zones.
The delay due to the non-availability of aircraft has stirred fears that most of the affected intending pilgrims might miss the Hajj as the deadline for the arrival of intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia draws near.

The deadline would be marked by the closure of Saudi Arabia’s airspace.
By noon yesterday, hundreds of the intending pilgrims were still stranded at the MMIA where they have been sleeping for the past four days, awaiting their airlift.
One of the intending pilgrims told journalists that some of them who were to be airlifted since June 14 were still at the airport.
They have been sleeping in the mosques and other open places around the international airport and the airport facilities are said to be overstretched with the departure hall crowded.

 But reacting to the action of the passengers, Arik Air in a statement signed by PR and Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, said the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria selected Arik Air as the carrier to work with the tour operators for this year’s hajj exercise, adding that the airline has already airlifted 374 passengers since it commenced the airlift of pilgrims in both Abuja and Lagos on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

He disclosed that the airline was allocated about 10,000 pilgrims spread across Abuja, Lagos, and Kano states.
“We commenced the airlift of pilgrims in both Abuja and Lagos on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, and we have carried 374 passengers to date. The issues involved in the smooth operation of the airlift are currently being addressed by all parties involved; Arik Air, NAHCON, and the tour operators. We hereby assure the pilgrims that as soon as we resolve the issues within the next 24 hours, the airlift will resume simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano. We appeal for the understanding of all concerned and apologise for the inconvenience the slow pace of airlift may have caused the intending pilgrims and all the parties involved,” the statement explained.