The ongoing conflict in Sudan may disrupt the smooth airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for 2023 hajj, the Independent Hajj Reporters, has said.
The faith-based civil society organisation (CSO) noted in a statement by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad that the war has already led to the abrupt shutdown of the Sudanese airspace.
Daily Trust on Sunday reports that with the war, many airlines now bypass the Sudanese airspace, taking longer time to travel between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
Some pilgrims who performed lesser hajj in Saudi through Sudanese carriers were also stranded following suspension of operations by the airlines.
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Given that the war still rages, the organisation said that Nigeria, “through the NAHCON, must quickly review the pending challenges and come up with alternative options as a backup measure.”
Our correspondent reports that the inaugural flight for the 2023 intending pilgrims has been fixed for May 21.
However, the organisation observed that the closure of Sudan airspace would invariably force the hajj air carriers to transit through alternative routes that would take more than seven hours from Nigeria, thereby increasing the scheduled timeframe for the airlift operations.
It said another attendant effect of the change of routes aside the time was the price of tickets, which is another additional burden on the intending pilgrims.
The statement reads, “We are worried that our dear pilgrims may be compelled to fly through Cameroon, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, or Diplomatic Republic of Congo (DRC) to reach Saudi Arabia.
“The CSO is concerned that the closure of Sudanese airspace has already forced some major airlines such as Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, Emirates and Saudi Airlines to begin rerouting their flights to other African and South American countries.
“Ethiopian Airlines, which is a major player in hajj pilgrimages in Nigeria, has already rerouted up to 38 routes in its network.
“We are appealing to the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, review the situation and provide an appropriate alternative to the hajj carriers ahead of the commencement of the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims. A stitch in time saves nine.”
Meanwhile, the NAHCON has spoken on some lesser hajj pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia following the suspension of flights by Sudanese airlines that conveyed them.
A spokesman of the NAHCON, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki said, “As per the stranded pilgrims of Badr and Tarko Airlines in Saudi Arabia, Tarko has made alternative arrangement for its pilgrims. In fact, they have been airlifted back to Nigeria.
“However, for agents who bought Badr tickets, there is an agreement that the agents should purchase alternative tickets, with the promise that they would be refunded when they get back to Nigeria.”
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