2026 Hajj: Return Airlift Of Nigerian Pilgrims Begins Wednesday

The return airlift of Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj will begin on Wednesday, with pilgrims from Nasarawa State scheduled to be the first batch to return home.

This will be followed by pilgrims from Ogun and Kebbi states on June 4, according to Flynas, one of the Saudi-designated Nigerian Hajj carriers.

Naija News reports that the airline disclosed this in a statement, saying it had deployed six A330 wide-body aircraft for the inbound operation to ensure a smooth and efficient return of pilgrims to Nigeria.

According to the statement, the first return flight for Ogun State pilgrims will depart the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and arrive at the Gateway International Airport in Abeokuta.

The second return flight will convey the first batch of Kebbi State pilgrims from the Jeddah airport to the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi on the same day.

Flynas said two additional flights would be operated on June 5 from Jeddah to Abeokuta and Birnin Kebbi, respectively.

The airline said the arrangement was part of measures to ensure that pilgrims return to Nigeria without unnecessary delays after completing the Hajj rites.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Planet Travels Limited, who is also the General Sales Agent for Flynas in Nigeria, Alhaji Umar Kaila, said the airline had concluded arrangements for a seamless return operation.

Kaila said the exercise would be carried out in line with international best practices, adding that the airline remained committed to safety, comfort and efficiency.

He disclosed that during the outbound operation, Flynas transported 11,342 pilgrims and officials to Saudi Arabia in 30 flights within two weeks.

According to him, the successful outbound airlift showed the airline’s capacity to handle the return phase effectively.

Kaila also disclosed that the airline had already delivered 13,832 units of five-litre Zamzam water bottles to Nigeria ahead of the pilgrims’ return.

The distribution of Zamzam water is usually part of the post-Hajj arrangement for pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia.

The statement added that Flynas would airlift pilgrims from Kebbi, Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Niger, Ogun and Nasarawa states.

The Flynas Coordinator of Operations, Malam Ahmad Ruma, urged the airline’s ground staff in Makkah to uphold professionalism and ethics throughout the return operation.

He said the return phase required proper coordination, discipline and commitment from all personnel involved in the exercise.

The airline assured pilgrims and relevant Hajj authorities that it would work to ensure a safe and orderly return of all pilgrims assigned to it.