By Yunusa Isa, Gombe
The Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has successfully returned excess luggage seized in Saudi Arabia during the 2026 Hajj operations to affected pilgrims.
The Executive Secretary of the board Alhaji Sa’adu Hassan announced the recovery while overseeing the distribution of the items in Gombe, explaining that the backlog occurred when pilgrims attempted to board flights with baggage exceeding strict airline weight limits.
Hassan stated that “Airline operators strictly enforced baggage regulations and seized the excess luggage because some pilgrims carried bags above the approved weight limit, leading to the items being left behind at airports in Saudi Arabia” .
Following the seizure, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) directed state boards to intervene and facilitate the retrieval of the stranded luggage.
According to the Board, the items were eventually consolidated into 13 bags, each weighing 23 kilograms each, for transport back to Nigeria.
“The Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board took payment responsibilities for transportation of the luggage back to Nigeria to ensure that affected pilgrims recovered their belongings,” Hassan noted.
The Executive Secretary explained that to ensure the items reach their rightful owners, the board conducted a verification process, “Owners of the luggage have been invited to collect their items but would be required to provide details of the contents of their bags to prevent cases of mistaken collection,”
While commending the pilgrims for their cooperation during the recovery process, Hassan issued a stern warning regarding future occurrence. He urged 2027 intending pilgrims to strictly adhere to the official eight-kilogram baggage limit approved by airlines, cautioning that “excess luggage would no longer be tolerated” in future operations.
Some of the pilgrims who collected their seized items Alhaji Sama’ila Idris and Hajiya Fatima Bello appreciated the state pilgrims welfare board for returning their luggage.
They advised prospective pilgrims to strictly abide by the set rules and regulations to avoid lost of property.