About 200 intending pilgrims from Kwara State disrupted activities at Ilorin International Airport on Friday afternoon, protesting delay in their flight to Saudi Arabia due to a faulty aircraft brought by the government.
They expressed their displeasure as an aircraft meant to
airlift them repeatedly developed a sudden fault.
The intending pilgrims, who protested on Friday atbthe
Ilorin International Airport, Kwara State capital, over the inability of an
aircraft to transport them to Saudi Arabia were said to have boarded the plane
on Thursday before it was reportedly discovered to have developed a fault.
The intending pilgrims and their relations, however, took to
the popular Ilorin/Ogbomoso/Ibadan Expressway to express their displeasure over
the development.
The protesters reportedly obstructed the movement of
vehicles along the expressway, preventing both entry and exit from the airport
premises.
This road blockade was said to have led to a standstill,
affecting airport operations and causing inconvenience to road users.
One of the pilgrims, who identified herself simply as
Idayat, noted that the state pilgrims board had not been treating the intending
pilgrims with necessary care.
She noted that the pilgrims assembled at the state camp five
days ago, expecting an aircraft, and that on Thursday, the board brought a
faulty plane.
“If they don’t have the capacity to take us to Saudi, then
let them return our money,” she said.
When contacted, Amirul Hajj, the head of the state pilgrims’
board, Ibrahim Oloriegbe told our
correspondent that another aircraft owned by Max Air will arrive at Ilorin,
“Insha Allah, at the latest in an hour’s time, and all the pilgrims will be
airlifted tonight (Friday).
“All the pilgrims have been rechecked and are all patiently
waiting for the aircraft.”