Some stranded pilgrims for 2023 Hajj exercise on Saturday, protested to the corporate headquarters of Arik Air in Lagos over the development.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the intending pilgrims belonging to tour operators were stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and other parts of the country.
It was further gathered that the Saudi Arabia-bound pilgrims performing the Hajj exercise with licensed operators under the umbrella of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) have been sleeping at the airport for days awaiting their airlift.
There has been rowdiness at the airport as the agitated passengers took on their operators, as well as airport officials, over the delay in their airlift.
Findings showed that he affected pilgrims are to be conveyed to Saudi Arabia by Arik Air, one of the airlines approved by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the airlift of pilgrims to the Holy Land.
It would be recalled that Arik was allocated 10,000 pilgrims from the private tour operators. The airline is to airlift pilgrims from Lagos, Kano and Abuja zones.
The airline suspended its Hajj special flights due to funding challenges as they were yet to be “mobilised” by the NAHCON.
The NAHCON was also said to be in contact with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the disbursement of the funds due to the airlines.
“As I am talking to you, Arik Air said they were yet to be paid by the NAHCON and the airline too has bills to settle, especially with the Saudi Arabian aviation authorities.
“Arik Air and the NAHCON management are currently discussing to resolve the matter and continue with the airlift operation,” the source said.
Arik Air, in a statement yesterday, appealed to the pilgrims to show understanding, saying the issues that caused the delay were being resolved.
The airline, in a statement confirmed that it had airlifted 374 out of 10,000 pilgrims allocated to it, saying, “The issues involved in the smooth operation of the airlift are currently being addressed by all parties involved: Arik Air, the NAHCON and the tour operators.”
The president of the AHUON, Alhaji Nasidi Yahaya, however, assured that all the pilgrims would be airlifted in due course, saying, “We have a problem but it is being addressed.”
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