The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) National Hajj Monitoring Team has released what it described as the first-ever comparative analysis of outbound and inbound flights for each airline that participated in the 2026 Hajj airlift, revealing that 838 Nigerian pilgrims who departed for Saudi Arabia were not returned through the four designated carriers.
The analysis, prepared by the IHR 2026 Hajj Media Monitoring Team using data obtained from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Command and Control Centre, showed that 38,888 pilgrims were transported to Saudi Arabia on 98 outbound flights, while 38,050 pilgrims returned on 97 inbound flights.
According to the report, Air Peace transported 6,265 pilgrims on 21 outbound flights and returned 6,059 pilgrims on 20 inbound flights. Flynas airlifted 11,005 pilgrims on 30 outbound flights and brought back 11,252 pilgrims on 32 return flights.
MaxAir recorded the highest number of outbound pilgrims with 14,701 transported on 31 flights, but returned 11,978 pilgrims on 25 inbound flights. UMZA Airlines conveyed 6,917 pilgrims on 16 outbound flights and transported 8,761 pilgrims back to Nigeria on 20 inbound flights.
The monitoring team also noted that 780 officials were airlifted during the outbound operations, while 783 officials returned during the inbound exercise.
In its observations, the team identified discrepancies in some of the published passenger manifests. It stated that from flight serial number 55 onward, an arithmetic error of two passengers was carried through subsequent cumulative totals, resulting in an incorrect overall figure of 38,052 pilgrims for inbound operations in some reports.
The report explained that the correct total of pilgrims returned to Nigeria through the four carriers is 38,050.
It further pointed out that the 88th inbound flight, carrying pilgrims from Yobe and Borno states, was wrongly reported in some WhatsApp postings as transporting 282 passengers instead of the actual 284, comprising 99 pilgrims from Yobe and 185 from Borno.
Another discrepancy involved UMZA flight UY3568 from Sokoto, which carried 480 pilgrims but was reported as conveying 481 passengers, although the cumulative total remained unaffected.
The monitoring team said the figures leave a balance of 838 pilgrims who did not return through the four approved airlines.
According to the report, 12 Nigerian pilgrims are currently receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, while the remaining 826 pilgrims may have either returned through alternative routes or died during the pilgrimage.
The report stressed that every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the analysis using operational data from the NAHCON Command and Control Centre.
The comparative analysis was compiled by the Independent Hajj Reporters National Hajj Monitoring Team and signed by Director General of the Yobe Islamic Centre, Damaturu, Zaji Bunu, a member of the team. It was dated June 23, 2026.
