The first batch of Muslim pilgrims from Ogun State has arrived safely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj, marking the commencement of Hajj operations at the newly inaugurated Gateway International Airport.
The pilgrims, numbering 345, comprising 151 males and 194 females, departed the airport in Iperu at about 11:00 p.m. on Sunday and landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport around 4:15 a.m. Nigerian time.
Officials of the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board accompanied the contingent.
The development also signifies the airport’s first international flight since it was inaugurated on April 4, 2026, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, the pilgrims were received by Hajj officials and airport authorities before undergoing immigration procedures. They were later conveyed in buses to their hotel accommodations in Medina ahead of the commencement of Hajj rites.
Speaking ahead of the inaugural flight, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, described the takeoff as a historic moment, noting that the journey marked the first 4,600-kilometre nonstop international flight from Iperu.
He said, “What we celebrate today goes far beyond the arrival and departure of an international aircraft; it is a testament to focus, determination, resilience, commitment, sacrifice, and teamwork.”
Abiodun added that the airport would enhance connectivity and position Ogun State as a hub for commerce and global engagement, while appreciating the President for his support towards the project’s completion.
He also commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for approving the airport as a departure centre for pilgrims and urged the pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the state and the country.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Ismail Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Hajj Operations, Alhaji Olanrewaju Elegushi, said the new departure point would ease logistics for pilgrims by reducing travel stress.
He noted that Gateway International Airport is the first state-owned facility in the South-West cleared for Hajj operations without restrictions, attributing the feat to its modern infrastructure.
Also speaking, the Amir Hajj 2026, Alhaji Shamsideen Apelogun, urged the pilgrims to uphold discipline and represent Nigeria positively during the exercise.
The Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola, and the Chief Imam of Gbagura, Prof. Emeritus Kamaldeen Balogun, commended the project, noting that it had eliminated the stress of travelling to Lagos for international departures.
On behalf of the pilgrims, Dr Muritala Ejalonibu described the experience as historic, while some of the travellers expressed excitement at being among the first to depart from the new airport.
