Diverted Kano-bound Saudi Airlines Flight Locks Passengers Inside Cabin For 5 Hours In Abuja

Hundreds of Nigerian pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia were stranded for about five hours aboard a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after the aircraft was diverted from Kano due to adverse weather conditions.

The flight, which was scheduled to land at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano, was redirected to Abuja as a safety precaution following reports of poor weather in Kano. The aircraft reportedly landed in Abuja at about 1:00 p.m. on Saturday but remained on the tarmac with passengers locked inside the plane for more than five hours.

Several passengers told PRNigeria via telephone that they were kept aboard without food, water, or clear information from the airlines, describing the situation as inhumane.

“We understand the diversion for safety reasons, but being kept inside the aircraft for over five hours without any communication or basic care is unacceptable,” a passenger said.

Passengers also raised concerns about the health of those on board, particularly elderly pilgrims and others who were already weak after the long journey.

“Some of our family members are sick right now inside the aircraft,” another passenger said. “The stress of travel, combined with this prolonged delay and lack of assistance, is taking a serious toll on people. It is frustrating and dehumanising.”

The stranded pilgrims have called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to urgently intervene by allowing passengers to disembark or by ensuring the immediate provision of basic welfare support.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Saudi Arabian Airlines nor the relevant Nigerian aviation authorities had issued an official statement on the incident.