Posted by BBC News on
Pilgrims stranded at a northern Nigerian airport have protested at delays in flying off to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj.
Pilgrims stranded at a northern Nigerian airport have protested at delays in flying off to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj.
The deadline for flights into Jeddah is Wednesday, but so far none of the 4,000 pilgrims at Kano airport have left.
Nigeria has asked the Saudi authorities for a 72-hour extension, but the Saudis have reportedly not replied.
Officials say they still have an option of paying a $53,000 fine for each aircraft that lands late in Jeddah.
The BBC's Ado Saleh Kankiya in Kano says that the pilgrims are getting increasingly angry.
He says that the governors of at least two northern states have been at the airport but despite assurances aircraft have still failed to appear.
Every year about 2m Muslims converge on Mecca - the holiest place in Islam - for the Hajj.
Every adult Muslim is supposed to undertake the Hajj at least once in their life if they can afford it and are physically able.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/4581872.stm