Hajj 2026: 1820 Nigerien pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia
The Hajj 2026 ended a few weeks ago. But they are still stranded in Saudi Arabia. They are the 1,820 Nigerien pilgrims awaiting repatriation.
According to the Nigerien Press Agency (ANP), which was able to contact several of them, the blame lies with the group of private travel agencies that organized their trip to Saudi Arabia.
“We have not been given any concrete plan for their return.”
To this day, these pilgrims say they have not received any clear timetable for their return home. “There are nearly 2,000 of us pilgrims in this situation. We completed the rites a few weeks ago, but no concrete plan for our return has been communicated to us,” one of the pilgrims told the ANP.
All the testimonies gathered emphasize that the State of Niger is in no way responsible for this situation. The Commission for the Organization of Hajj and Umrah (COHO) has already repatriated the pilgrims under its care.
They are calling on the Nigerien authorities for help.
The approximately 2,000 pilgrims currently stranded in Saudi Arabia traveled through private agencies that chose to manage their own air transport. However, this was not done outside the rules, as these agencies obtained authorization from the Hajj and Umrah Organization Commission (COHO).
In desperation, these pilgrims stranded in the Gulf kingdom are appealing for clemency and intervention from their country’s authorities to resolve the situation.
