Over 3,000 Nigerian Passengers Stranded Without Luggage After Saudi Trip

More than 3,000 Nigerian passengers returning from Saudi Arabia are still waiting for their luggage, with an estimated 180 tonnes of baggage stranded in Jeddah.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said the backlog resulted from baggage-handling problems involving Saudi Airlines, leaving thousands of passengers without their personal belongings weeks after returning to Nigeria.

According to the NCAA, about eight tonnes of luggage have so far been transported to Nigeria following regulatory intervention last week.

However, the authority said the recovered baggage represents only a small portion of the outstanding backlog, with more than 3,000 passengers still affected.

The NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, disclosed the latest figures while responding to complaints from passengers affected by the disruption.

The authority said it is engaging Saudi Airlines to resolve the situation and ensure that the remaining luggage is transported from Jeddah to Nigeria.

The prolonged delay has left affected passengers waiting for essential personal belongings long after completing their journeys from Saudi Arabia.

Under Nigeria’s aviation consumer-protection regulations, passengers have rights when baggage is delayed, lost or damaged, including compensation where applicable under the relevant rules.

The NCAA said efforts are continuing to clear the backlog, while affected passengers await the return of their luggage.

For the thousands still affected, the immediate concern remains how quickly the airline can transport the remaining estimated 180 tonnes of baggage back to Nigeria.