They both reacted to The Punch report which claimed that pilgrims were stranded after the Saudi Arabia-based carrier allegedly refused to operate from Gateway Airport.
Hundreds of Ogun State pilgrims participating in the 2026 Hajj exercise were caught in confusion and delays following conflicting accounts over the use of the newly commissioned Gateway International Airport, Iperu, for their airlift to Saudi Arabia.
Muslim News gathered that the development has sparked mixed reactions following The Punch report, with responses from Ogun State Government and National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), while Flynas is yet to respond at the time of filing this report.
Pilgrims reportedly stranded amid changing arrangements
According to The Punch, despite “multi-billion naira investment in the Gateway International Airport,” hundreds of pilgrims were initially left stranded after Saudi airline Flynas allegedly declined to operate from the facility due to unspecified technical concerns.
The report stated that the pilgrims were initially scheduled to be airlifted directly from the Iperu airport by Flynas, but the arrangement was disrupted.
Following the development, Nigerian carrier Max Air reportedly transported the first batch of pilgrims from the airport on Sunday, while subsequent flights were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. However, many pilgrims who had gathered at the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board headquarters in Abeokuta remained stranded.
Some pilgrims told The Punch they were later informed via text messages that their departure point had been changed to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, without prior formal communication.
A pilgrim identified as Fatimo said she had exhausted her funds while waiting.
Another pilgrim also expressed frustration over prolonged uncertainty and discomfort during the delay.
On Wednesday, pilgrims were reportedly informed via WhatsApp that departure would now take place from Lagos instead of Iperu. The second batch was later moved to Lagos on Thursday morning after several days of waiting.
Ogun State cites slot issue as cause of pilgrims’ relocation
Reacting in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the Ogun State Government dismissed claims that Flynas rejected the airport, describing the report as “misleading and a distortion of facts.”
The government explained that the relocation of pilgrims was not due to any safety, operational, or infrastructural deficiency at the Gateway International Airport.
It said the adjustment resulted from the inability to secure a landing slot for Nigeria’s designated carrier, Max Air, by Saudi aviation authorities, necessitating a change in flight arrangements.
According to the statement, the notice of the scheduling challenge came barely two weeks before operations, forcing NAHCON to redirect affected pilgrims to Lagos as a practical alternative.
The government stressed that Flynas did not reject the airport on safety or operational grounds, adding that the first batch of pilgrims had earlier departed successfully from the facility.
It further described the airport as a fully certified international aviation facility approved by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and compliant with ICAO standards.
NAHCON: adjustment was operational, not rejection
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) also dismissed reports suggesting that Flynas rejected the Gateway International Airport.
NAHCON Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the relocation of pilgrims to Lagos was purely operational, based on flight scheduling and logistics.
He explained that Hajj operations involve complex coordination linked to aviation windows, aircraft rotation, and pilgrim movement across states, which sometimes require adjustments.
He maintained that at no point did Flynas declare the airport unsafe or unsuitable, describing such claims as false and misleading.
NAHCON urged the public to disregard speculative narratives and assured that arrangements had been made for the safe transportation of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
Flynas yet to respond
Efforts to obtain comments from Flynas were unsuccessful as enquiries sent to the airline had not been responded to at the time of filing this report.
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