No Pilgrim Will Be Stranded In Saudi Arabia, NAHCON Boss Assures An Early Flight Home

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has given families a massive sigh of relief, promising that every single Nigerian pilgrim will make it back home long before Saudi Arabia shuts down its airspace for the season.

NAHCON Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Yusuf, stepped out to clear the air following growing worries over the pace of return flights. He completely ruled out any chance of Nigerians getting stuck in the holy land, pointing out that everything is tracking perfectly to beat the official Saudi departure deadline of June 30.

The homebound operations are picking up serious speed. More than 17,000 pilgrims have already touched down safely on Nigerian soil. In fact, nine states including Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kogi, Jigawa, and Plateau have completely finished bringing all their people back. Others, like Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, are already well past the midway mark.

Why Some States Are Still Waiting

If your loved ones are still in Mecca or Medina, there is a very specific, orderly reason for the wait. NAHCON is enforcing a strict “first-in, first-out” policy. This means the airlines are prioritizing the states that arrived in Saudi Arabia first during the initial departure phase.

For instance, pilgrims from the South-South and parts of the north who kicked off the Hajj journey early are at the front of the queue, while other states are waiting for their designated flight slots to open up.

A Strict Warning to Airlines

NAHCON is not taking any chances with operational delays. The commission has put its four chosen airlines—Max Air, Air Peace, Flynas, and Umza Air—on notice, reminding them of the strict 19-day window to clear out their allocated passengers.

The commission made it clear that if any airline starts dragging its feet or failing to secure its agreed flight slots from Saudi aviation authorities, a backup emergency plan will be triggered immediately to take over the routes.

For now, returning travelers are praising the organized and calm nature of the coordination. Officials are simply reminding everyone to stick strictly to luggage rules and avoid packing holy Zamzam water in their main bags to keep airport check-ins moving as fast as possible.