Gombe Pilgrims Board Returns Seized Hajj Luggage to Owners
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
The Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has recovered and returned 13 bags of luggage seized from pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj operation after they exceeded the approved baggage allowance.
Speaking during the distribution exercise, the Executive Secretary (ES) of the board, Malam Sa’adu Hassan, said airlines at Saudi airports confiscated the luggage from Gombe pilgrims after enforcing strict baggage regulations.
According to him, airlines allowed each pilgrim to carry only the approved baggage limit, but some pilgrims exceeded the restriction by carrying multiple bags.
Several pilgrims reportedly attempted to transport extra items in additional bags carried on their heads or backs.
Hassan explained that Saudi airport authorities, particularly airline operators, seized the excess luggage and abandoned it at the airport.
Following the incident, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) directed officials to identify and recover the affected items.
After retrieving the luggage, officials transported the bags to Makkah, where they repackaged and profiled them in accordance with the approved 23-kilogram allowance per bag.Officials repackaged the recovered belongings into 13 bags, each weighing 23 kilograms.
Since all Gombe pilgrims had already returned home by the time officials recovered the luggage, the board arranged for Adamawa State pilgrims departing through Yola to transport the bags to Nigeria.
The board paid the required excess baggage charges of over SR 2,000 and later spent about N100,000 to move the luggage from Yola to Gombe.
Upon arrival in Gombe, the board invited all affected pilgrims for an identification and verification exercise.
Officials asked each claimant to provide details of the seized items before opening the bags. The ES said the measure ensures transparency and prevents disputes during the distribution process.
Following the verification process, the board handed over the recovered items to their rightful owners, bringing the recovery operation to a successful conclusion and ensuring that affected pilgrims regained their belongings.
