In a press release issued on Monday, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the Director of MURIC, expressed grave concern over the disruption of airlift operations for Nigerian pilgrims bound for Saudi Arabia. He revealed that a plane dispatched for this purpose was turned back by striking aviation workers, resulting in its return to Jedda airport in Saudi Arabia without any passengers onboard.
Akintola emphasized the perilous situation now faced by thousands of Nigerian pilgrims, who find themselves stranded due to the abrupt halt in airlift operations. He questioned the timing of the national strike declared by the NLC, coinciding with the critical period when over 60,000 Nigerians are scheduled for airlift.
The MURIC Director raised alarming questions regarding the perceived disregard for Muslim preparations for the Hajj and Salah festivals by the NLC leadership. He urged the NLC to promptly call off the strike, citing the imminent danger posed to the lives of thousands of Muslim pilgrims already gathered in camps.
Akintola issued a stern ultimatum, calling on the NLC to end the strike by 8 am the following day, Tuesday, 4th June 2024. Failing this, he appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency to address the crisis. He criticized the NLC leadership for what he perceived as detachment from the concerns of ordinary Nigerians and called for decisive action to safeguard the country’s interests.