Saudi Airlines has faced heavy criticism after abandoning 401 Kano-bound passengers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for nearly 48 hours.
According to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), bad weather in Kano forced the flight to divert to Abuja. However, the airline failed to arrange transport for passengers to their final destination.
In a statement on Monday, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said he personally intervened to defuse rising tension among stranded passengers.
He described the incident as one of the most intense moments of his career. Achimugu revealed that he received credible threats of violence while responding to the situation.
Meanwhile, other airlines affected by the same weather disruption made alternative arrangements for their passengers. Saudi Airlines, however, returned to its base without resolving the situation.
Achimugu said he confronted more than 200 angry passengers and worked to calm them down. At one point, a passenger threatened to assault him, but dialogue helped ease the tension.
Although Saudi Airlines lacks an operational base in Abuja, the NCAA insisted that the airline could have handled the situation better.
Subsequently, Achimugu met with the Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria. He stressed that all airlines must comply with Nigeria’s consumer protection regulations.
Eventually, UMZA Aviation airlifted stranded passengers to Kano in three batches. A total of 189 passengers were transported.
Saudi Airlines has since agreed to compensate the affected passengers.
Achimugu said the incident, which began as a force majeure, escalated due to poor passenger handling but ended through coordinated intervention by aviation authorities.
Attempts to reach Saudi Airlines for comment were unsuccessful, as the airline has no office in Nigeria.
