Fresh controversy has erupted around Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Gateway International Airport after Saudi airline Flynas reportedly refused to operate Hajj flights from the Ogun facility, leaving pilgrims stranded for days
Hajj Chaos Rocks Dapo Abiodun’s Billion-Naira Airport Project
Fresh controversy has erupted around Dapo Abiodun’s multi-billion-naira Gateway International Airport project after a report by Punch Newspaper alleged that Saudi airline Flynas refused to operate from the newly commissioned facility, leaving hundreds of Ogun pilgrims stranded for days ahead of the 2026 Hajj exercise.
The development has intensified scrutiny over the true operational readiness of the Gateway International Airport in Iperu, a project repeatedly promoted by the Ogun State Government as a world-class international aviation hub.
According to the Punch report titled “Pilgrims stranded as Saudi airline shuns Ogun airport,” the crisis began when Flynas allegedly declined to land at the airport over unresolved technical concerns, despite prior arrangements for Ogun pilgrims to depart directly from the facility for Hajj.
The situation reportedly forced authorities to redirect intending pilgrims to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport after many had already spent days waiting at the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board camp in Abeokuta for flights that never arrived.
The airport, commissioned by Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 4, 2026, was projected as one of the flagship legacy projects of the Abiodun administration and positioned as a major gateway for international travel and commerce.
However, the reported refusal of an international airline to operate from the facility barely weeks after its commissioning has now triggered questions over whether the airport was truly ready for international operations.
Industry observers note that international carriers rarely suspend or reject operations at airports without concerns linked to safety compliance, navigational systems, operational readiness or emergency infrastructure.
The controversy deepened after Punch reported that Ogun State’s inaugural Hajj flight was quietly moved to Kogi State at the last minute, a development critics now interpret as an attempt to avoid public embarrassment before the operational issues became public.
Pilgrims caught in the disruption described difficult conditions during the prolonged wait.
One pilgrim quoted by Punch said:
“If this airport cannot receive an international flight, the governor should please order the board to let us fly from any other certified airport in the country.”
Another reportedly questioned why authorities failed to immediately move them to Lagos after it became clear the airline would not land in Iperu.
Several stranded pilgrims also complained of illness, mosquito infestations, poor welfare conditions and mounting expenses on food and medication while waiting for updates.
The incident has now reopened broader concerns over the transparency, commercial viability and long-term sustainability of the Gateway International Airport project.
Critics are demanding clarification on the airport’s operational certification status, the level of international aviation approvals secured and whether political considerations overtook technical realities in the rush to commission the facility.
Government responses have done little to calm the growing controversy, with officials reportedly shifting responsibility between the Ogun Pilgrims Board, aviation consultants and the National Hajj Commission rather than directly addressing why Flynas declined operations from Iperu.
For many observers, the controversy is rapidly evolving into one of the most significant public relations crises facing the Abiodun administration, especially as the airport had been repeatedly showcased as evidence of infrastructural transformation and economic advancement in Ogun State.
What was unveiled as a prestige project is now facing mounting public criticism amid images of stranded pilgrims, operational uncertainty and growing questions over whether the airport achieved full international readiness before commissioning.
