With less than 16 days to the commencement of the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, the ongoing Sudan conflict is threatening the Hajj 2023 operation as all approved Nigerian airlines refused to sign the agreement.
War broke out in Sudan on 15 April 2023, and there hasn’t been any moment of respite since then.
Some of the stranded Nigerians were being airlifted back home with the first batch arriving late Wednesday night.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last month approved Air Peace, Azman Air, Flynas, Aero Contractors, and Max Air to fly pilgrims from the 36 states and FCT, while Arik Air and Value Jet Air would serve as chartered flights for the Licenced Tour Operators.
The Saudi Arabia based airline, Flynas which is approved to airlift about 40% of the 95,000 intending Nigerian pilgrims, signed the airlift agreement with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), while its Nigerian counterparts refused.
Blueprint gathered that the refusal of the 4 Nigerian-based airlines was due to the war in Sudan.
With the war, airlines would avoid Sudan airspace, which means they would travel for longer hours, use more fuel, and additional cost to pay for other airspace they traveled through.
But a Presidency source told one of our correspondents that the federal government had put in place certain measures in favour of the airlines in event of any unforeseen circumstances.
“The Nigerian airlines want to cash in on the situation to increase their fare even when the foreign airline – Flynas- is showing some level of understanding. Is this not a shame to us as a nation?
“In fact, left to NAHCON, the foreign airline is ready to airlift all the 75,000 pilgrims at the same cost. But we insisted there should be some local content in everything we do as an administration in order to improve our people’s economic well being.
“If we are encouraging the local investors as a government, such should not be taken for granted. Yes, we are not unaware of the situation in Sudan and its implication on the Hajj operation. But, you may wish to know that the federal government gave the airlines waiver of 65% on aviation taxes to cushion the effects of any unforeseen situation like this.
“And despite this waiver, they (the airlines) are still insistent on increasing the fare even when the airlift proper has not started. Remember, NAHCON as a body can’t cause any fare increase for the pilgrims again.
“At a critical moment like this, patriotism should always come to play. If the foreign airline is ready to operate despite the challenge of sort, why would the local airlines hold NAHCON, and by extension the pilgrims to ransom? With consultations, we will get the issue resolved,” the source further assured.
NAHCON assures
Speaking to journalists Thursday after the agreement signing ceremony at the Hajj House in Abuja, NAHCON Chairman/Chief Executive Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan assured that all matters would be resolved between now and Tuesday next week.
“As you can see, we have signed an agreement with Flynas which is the Saudi airline. Flynas is carrying about 40% of the passengers. We have adjourned till Tuesday in order to deliberate further with the Nigerian airlines.
“This time around the Chief Executive Officer or Chairman will discuss with us, where we intend to have some in-depth discussion before we come to an agreement.
“Of course, the reason why this is delayed is because of the Sudan crisis. We are told that the Sudan airspace has been shut down. It means that the airlines will have to go through another route, which from indication is longer than passing through Sudan.
“We are hopeful that the Sudan conflict will abate and if it does, it means that we will go back to where we are. We have planned our agreement prior to the Sudan crisis. And we know that as we speak that there is a ceasefire in Sudan, how long that will last, we don’t know.
“We will keep working, hope and pray that the ceasefire will last long and the war itself will come to an end so that pilgrims from all over the world, not just Nigeria, will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. We require all men of goodwill to join us in praying to Allah to intervene in these matters.”
On whether the 2023 Hajj would be canceled, Hassan said: “We are on the drawing board, we know that Nigerian pilgrims are not in a position to add anything to the cost of Hajj. So, we will put on our thinking cap on what best we can do in a situation like this.”
Earlier in his remarks, NAHCON Commissioner (Operations, Inspectorate, and Licensing) Magaji Abdullahi Hardawa said President Buhari had earlier approved a waiver of 65% of all aviation-related charges for the airlines.
According to him, this was done to cushion any eventualities that may come the way of the airlines in the course of the operation.
Hardawa assured that NAHCON would ensure pilgrims get value for their money.
“The Commission is aware of the challenges. Hajj is time bound and nobody is going to wait for Nigeria, therefore we are bound to continue to prepare such that we will be able to effectively participate in the exercise,” he added.
