Update: Niger Pilgrims’ 5th Return Flight Departs Jeddah with 420 Passengers
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
The fifth batch of Niger State pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj has departed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is currently en-route to Nigeria as the state continues its return airlift operation.
The Niger State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board announced that the flight carrying 420 pilgrims took off from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Thursday morning.
The aircraft departed at approximately 9:15 a.m. Saudi Arabian time, equivalent to 7:15 a.m. Nigerian time.
According to the Board, the pilgrims on board come from several local government areas across the state.
The passengers include pilgrims from Rafi, Paikoro, Agaie, Shiroro, Katcha, Tafa, Kontagora, Magama, Wushishi, Suleja and Edati Local Government Areas.
The flight forms part of the ongoing exercise to transport Niger State pilgrims back home following the successful completion of the 2026 Hajj rites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Officials expect the aircraft to land at Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna, at about 3:15 p.m. Saudi Arabian time, corresponding to 1:15 p.m. Nigerian time.
The return operation has continued in phases as authorities work to ensure the safe and orderly transportation of all pilgrims from the state.
The latest movement marks another milestone in the post-Hajj airlift program coordinated by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), state pilgrims’ boards and designated air carriers.
The successful departure of the fifth batch further demonstrates the steady progress of the return exercise, which has seen thousands of Nigerian pilgrims transported from Saudi Arabia since the commencement of inbound flights.
Jibrin Usman Kodo, Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, disclosed the development in a statement issued on June 18, 2026.
