The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has revealed that insurgency in the North-East has forced the Hajj terminal at Maiduguri International Airport out of service, complicating flight operations and pilgrim movements at the facility.
Speaking with newsmen recently, the International Terminal Manager of Maiduguri Airport, Ibrahim Bello, said although the airport continues to operate, the Hajj terminal has been rendered unusable due to security challenges, with the military currently occupying the facility.
He said, “Yes, we have two states here, Yobe and Maiduguri. And this is why, at the airport level, I would say that we did excellently well, because this is one of the airports that does not have a Hajj terminal. We have the terminal, but due to the insurgency, the terminal has been overtaken by the military. So, we usually co-locate our operations, both domestic and Hajj operations, in one terminal.
“And this usually gives us a serious challenge. But, thank God, with the help of FAAN management, we are able to navigate through. Since I came here, we have had two Hajj operations.”
This arrangement, he added, puts enormous strain on airport logistics, especially during peak periods such as the Hajj season.
“And this usually gives us a serious challenge. But, thank God, with the help of FAAN management, we are able to navigate through. Since I came here, we have had two Hajj operations. And this is what we usually have, because the two states operating here, Yobe and Maiduguri, have a large number of pilgrims. So just imagine having your domestic operation, doing it alongside your domestic operation. Sometimes we have two or three domestic operations,” he said.
Despite these difficulties, Bello credited FAAN’s support and proactive local management with helping to ensure smooth Hajj operations in recent years.
According to him, in the last two Hajj seasons, the airport successfully coordinated flights for pilgrims from both Yobe and Maiduguri using two dedicated carriers.
“We’ve been able to navigate the situation, and the support from FAAN headquarters has been instrumental in that success,” he said.
Beyond managing current constraints, Bello said he was optimistic about the future potential of the Maiduguri airport as a major regional hub.
He pointed out the airport’s unique strategic position, sharing borders with Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, a feature no other Nigerian airport can claim.
He stated, “Maiduguri is strategically situated; it has that strategic location advantage that airlines can take advantage of. It is the only airport that has borders with three countries, that is, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, which is a very, very good opportunity for us and FAAN to explore regional hope.”
His proposed international flight plans include establishing regional connections to N’Djamena (Chad), Garoua and Maroua (Cameroon), and Zinder or Diffa (Niger Republic).
Bello hinted that such routes could even extend further into Central Africa, reviving historical Trans-Saharan trade links.
“One aspect that we look at during the route analysis at our own level here is that we went as far as going into town to see the car parks where people are loaded onto the buses going to Chad and other neighbouring states. What we found out is not everybody who uses buses can afford an aircraft, but when the aircraft is available, somebody will look at that as an advantage. So, we have a considerable amount of traffic here,” he said.
Despite the challenges posed by insurgency and limited infrastructure, Bello maintains that with the right investment and support from FAAN, Maiduguri Airport has the potential to transform into a key regional and international aviation hub, a vision rooted in both geography and history.
“The foundation is there. With peace returning gradually and proper planning, we can reimagine Maiduguri as a vital link between Nigeria and the Sahel region,” he concluded.
