OGUN GOVT DENIES SAFETY ISSUES AT GATEWAY AIRPORT OVER HAJJ FLIGHT RELOCATION

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The Ogun State Government has denied reports suggesting that operational or safety concerns forced the relocation of intending pilgrims from the newly inaugurated Gateway International Airport to Murtala Muhammed International Airport for the 2026 Hajj operations.

The clarification followed reports alleging that a Saudi airline declined to operate from the Ogun airport, leaving some pilgrims stranded and compelling authorities to move flight operations to Lagos.

Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Friday, the state government described the relocation as a temporary logistical adjustment caused by flight scheduling complications involving Saudi aviation authorities.

The statement, signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed claims that the airport had been rejected by any airline.

According to the government, the issue arose after Saudi aviation authorities failed to secure a landing slot for Max Air, the Nigerian airline designated by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to operate flights from the Gateway International Airport.

The statement noted that the late notification from Saudi authorities made it necessary for NAHCON to redirect the affected pilgrims to Lagos in order to avoid disruptions to the Hajj schedule.

“The relocation of the second batch of pilgrims from Gateway International Airport was not due to any safety, operational, or infrastructural challenge at the facility,” the statement read.

“It resulted from the inability of Saudi aviation authorities to secure a landing slot for Nigeria’s designated carrier, Max Air, which had been engaged by NAHCON for Gateway International Airport operations, thereby necessitating an adjustment in flight arrangements.”

However, the Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board reportedly confirmed that Flynas Airline, which was initially expected to airlift the pilgrims from the airport, could not land at the facility for reasons he said were unknown to him.

Despite the development, the Ogun State Government insisted that Gateway International Airport remains fully certified and operational for international flights, including Hajj operations.

Akinmade stated that the first batch of Ogun pilgrims had successfully departed from the airport without incident, describing the operation as a major milestone for the state and Nigeria’s aviation sector.

The government further disclosed that the airport, commissioned on April 4, 2026, by President Bola Tinubu, had obtained all necessary approvals from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority in accordance with the Standards and Recommended Practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

According to Akinmade, the airport is equipped with modern aviation infrastructure, including a Category II Instrument Landing System, precision navigation systems and advanced weather monitoring equipment capable of supporting international flight operations.

He also stated that the airport’s runway can accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.

Akinmade maintained that no aviation authority would have approved the airport for operations if there were unresolved safety concerns.