Ogun clarifies Hajj flight relocation, denies safety issues

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The Ogun State Government has dismissed a media report alleging that Saudi airline Flynas rejected the Gateway International Airport, Iperu, for the transportation of Ogun pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

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In a statement shared with PUNCH Online and signed by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the government described the publication by The Punch titled “Pilgrims stranded as Saudi airline shuns Ogun airport” as misleading and a distortion of facts.

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According to the statement, “the relocation of the second batch of pilgrims from the Gateway International Airport was not due to any safety, operational, or infrastructural challenge at the facility.

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“Rather, it was attributed to the inability of Saudi aviation authorities to secure a landing slot for Nigeria’s designated carrier, Max Air, which had been engaged by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for Gateway International Airport (GIA) operations, necessitating an adjustment in flight arrangements.”

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Meanwhile, it noted that the operational change notice was short.

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The government said “the notice of the scheduling challenge came barely two weeks before the planned operations, prompting NAHCON to redirect the affected pilgrims to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, as a practical alternative.”

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It stressed that “Flynas did not reject the Gateway International Airport on grounds of safety, infrastructure deficiency, or operational limitation, contrary to claims in the report.”

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The statement added that the “first batch of pilgrims had earlier departed successfully from the Gateway International Airport without incident,” describing the operation as a historic milestone in Nigeria’s aviation and Hajj logistics.

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Commissioned on April 4, 2026, by President Bola Tinubu, the Gateway International Airport was described as a fully certified international aviation facility approved for Hajj operations by relevant authorities, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, in compliance with ICAO SARPs standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

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The government noted that the airport has “undergone multiple technical and safety audits since 2025 and is equipped with infrastructure including a CAT II Instrument Landing System, precision navigation systems, and modern weather monitoring equipment.”

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It further stated that the airport’s runway can accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 747, and Airbus A380, underscoring its readiness for international operations.

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The statement concluded that “no aviation authority would have approved the airport for use if there were safety or operational concerns, noting that even presidential flights have been received at the facility.”

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