2026 Hajj return airlift begins as 560 Nasarawa pilgrims land in Abuja

Nigerian pilgrims from the 2026 Hajj started their return journey today, Wednesday June 3, with 560 Nasarawa State pilgrims aboard MaxAir flight NGL267 from Jeddah to Abuja, departing at 09:27hrs. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) confirmed the inbound airlift is underway.

Flynas, a Saudi-designated Nigerian Hajj carrier, takes over tomorrow June 4 with pilgrims from Ogun and Kebbi States. The first flight heads from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to Gateway International Airport in Abeokuta, while the second lands at Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi the same day. Two more flights follow on June 5 to both destinations.

Flynas is deploying six A330 wide-body aircraft for the return operations. During the outbound phase, the airline transported 11,342 pilgrims and officials to Saudi Arabia across 30 flights in two weeks. The airline will also handle return flights for pilgrims from Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, and Niger States, according to Alhaji Umar Kaila, Managing Director of First Planet Travels and Flynas General Sales Agent in Nigeria.

If you have family or friends who participated in this year's Hajj from any of the listed states, expect them back between now and the coming days as the airlift progresses.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/06/03/hajj-airlift-of-nigerian-pilgrims-begins-today/