In a shocking turn of events, several planes sent to airlift Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage were forced to return empty to the Arabian peninsula due to an ongoing strike by organized labour.
The strike, which began on Monday, has already caused chaos and disrupted the travel plans of thousands of Muslim pilgrims.
According to reports, striking aviation workers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, Yola International Airport, Aminu Kano International Airport, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja physically blocked the planes’ paths and refused to allow them to depart with passengers, forcing the pilots to return the planes to Saudi Arabia empty.
Over 60,000 Nigerian pilgrims are currently stranded in Nigeria, 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.
Reacting to this development, Prof. Ishaq Akintola,Executive Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), said: “We urge the organized 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 faithfuls 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.”
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