Ikrima Mohammed, Acting National President of the Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN), has provided clarification regarding the recent arrival of a FLYADEAL aircraft at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
Speaking exclusively to BusinessDay in Kano, Mohammed explained that contrary to earlier reports, the flight operated by FLYADEAL—a private Saudi Arabian airline—was not a scheduled commercial service, but rather a rescue operation organised to address an urgent logistical challenge.
“We want the public to understand that the FLYADEAL aircraft that recently landed in Kano was a rescue flight, not a scheduled service as previously reported,” Mohammed said. “It was arranged by our Association to manage the large number of passengers holding valid Umrah visas, particularly in the Kano zone, who could not be accommodated by the four international airlines currently operating from MAKIA.”
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According to him, the temporary measure was necessary to prevent delays in airlifting pilgrims who were set to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Maulud season and Umrah pilgrimage.
“The existing airlines operating Umrah flights out of Kano are not adequately equipped to handle the surge in demand. With hundreds of visas already issued, the available seats simply couldn’t meet the need,” he added.
Mohammed emphasised that the situation warranted immediate action to ensure that all intending pilgrims could travel in time for the religious observance.
“We brought in the FLYADEAL aircraft specifically to deal with this backlog. Our aim was to provide timely transport for these pilgrims to the Holy Land in Mecca for this year’s Umrah,” he said. “It was not a commercial venture nor an indication of scheduled operations by the airline.”
He noted that Kano remains the central hub for Umrah and Hajj operations in Northern Nigeria.
“Approximately 80% of all Umrah pilgrims from the 19 northern states depart from MAKIA. The airport also serves the highest number of Hajj pilgrims in the country. This central role often creates logistical bottlenecks, especially during peak periods like this,” Mohammed stated.
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To address these bottlenecks, AHOUN entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FLYADEAL to provide temporary support in airlifting stranded pilgrims.
He also stressed that AHOUN maintains a positive working relationship with all airlines and aviation agencies at the airport, both local and international.
“The seat shortages are a known issue, not just in Kano, but across the country. The existing airlines are also serving passengers from other Nigerian airports. That is why we had to intervene promptly,” he explained.
Mohammed concluded by reaffirming that the initiative was taken purely out of necessity and was not meant to compete with the airlines already operating in the airport
