By Adesakin Adefemi
Ogun State recorded a double milestone on Sunday night as 345 Muslim pilgrims departed for the 2026 Hajj from Gateway International Airport, marking the facility’s first-ever international flight and the start of the state’s direct airlift operations to Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrims left Iperu Remo at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday and landed safely at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah at about 4:15 a.m. Nigerian time on Monday, according to a statement by Lekan Adeniran, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The contingent comprised 151 male and 194 female pilgrims, along with officials of the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board. They were received by Saudi Hajj officials and airport authorities before undergoing immigration and security procedures in an orderly manner.
From the airport, the pilgrims were conveyed in buses to their hotel accommodations in Medina, where they are expected to rest ahead of the commencement of Hajj rites. Officials described the arrival process as smooth and well-coordinated.
The flight is significant not only for the 2026 Hajj but also for Ogun State’s aviation history. It marks the first 4,600-kilometre nonstop international departure from Gateway International Airport, which was commissioned on April 4, 2026, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking ahead of the inaugural departure, Governor Dapo Abiodun said the flight reflects his administration’s commitment to infrastructure and economic expansion. “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,” he said.
Abiodun noted that the development opens new pathways for connectivity and positions Ogun State as a hub for commerce and global interaction. He thanked President Tinubu for his support in ensuring the timely completion of the airport.
The governor also commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for designating Gateway International Airport as one of the centres for Hajj operations. He urged the pilgrims to be worthy ambassadors of Nigeria by obeying Saudi laws and conducting themselves with discipline and integrity.
NAHCON Chairman, Ismail Yusuf, represented by Commissioner for Hajj Operations Alhaji Olanrewaju Elegushi, said the new departure point would significantly ease logistics by cutting travel time for pilgrims. He added that Gateway is the first state-owned facility in South-West Nigeria cleared for Hajj operations without limitations, citing its modern infrastructure.
Traditional and religious leaders praised the development. The Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola, and the Chief Imam of Gbagura, Prof. Emeritus Kamaldeen Balogun, said the airport has eliminated the stress of travelling to Lagos for international departures, describing it as a relief for pilgrims in Ogun and neighbouring states.
