Several airplanes sent to airlift Nigerians heading for pilgrimage in Mecca were forced to return empty to Saudi Arabia due to an ongoing strike by organised labour.
The industrial action has disrupted the travel plans of thousands of Muslim pilgrims and grounded economic activities in major cities of the country.
The aviation workers who downed tools at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, Aminu Kano International Airport, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, and Yola International Airport physically blocked the planes’ paths and refused to allow them to depart with passengers. The pilots had to return the planes to Saudi Arabia empty, leaving more than 60,000 Nigerian pilgrims stranded, unable to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.
The pilgrims, who have been preparing for months for this sacred journey, are now facing uncertainty and frustration due to the strike.
In his reaction to this development, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), said: “We urge the organised labour to consider the plight of thousands of Nigerian Muslims who are currently stranded due to the ongoing strike.
“We appeal to the NLC/TUC to call off the strike with immediate effect, to enable these pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.
“The ongoing strike is causing confusion and hardship for Muslim faithful preparing for the Id al-Kabiir festival and also poses a threat to the lives of Muslim pilgrims. We implore the NLC to consider the impact of their actions on these innocent citizens.
“If the strike continues, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and declare a state of emergency to rescue the country from this situation. We believe that a swift resolution is necessary to prevent further hardship and suffering for the pilgrims and the nation at large.”