Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj are set to begin their return journey to the country on Wednesday, starting with those from Nasarawa State.
According to an update by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), MaxAir flight NGL267 departed King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, for Abuja at 09:27hrs with 560 pilgrims from Nasarawa State on board.
Saudi-designated Nigerian Hajj carrier, Flynas, also confirmed that the return airlift operation will continue with pilgrims from Ogun and Kebbi states scheduled for repatriation on June 4.
In a statement, the airline said the inbound operation will be conducted using six Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft to ensure the smooth and efficient transportation of pilgrims back to Nigeria.
It added that the first return flight will convey the initial batch of Ogun State pilgrims from Jeddah to the Gateway International Airport, Abeokuta, while the second flight will transport Kebbi State pilgrims to Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, on the same day.
On June 5, the airline is expected to operate two additional flights on the same routes for subsequent batches of pilgrims from both states.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Planet Travels Limited and Flynas’ General Sales Agent in Nigeria, Alhaji Umar Kaila, said arrangements had been concluded to ensure a seamless and efficient operation in line with international best practices.
He noted that during the outbound phase of the operation, Flynas successfully airlifted 11,342 Nigerian pilgrims and officials to Saudi Arabia in 30 flights completed within two weeks.
Kaila added that the airline would also handle the return of pilgrims from Kebbi, Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Niger, Ogun and Nasarawa states in the ongoing repatriation exercise.
