Zamfara State has achieved a major historic milestone following the successful departure of its first-ever direct Hajj flight from the newly constructed Gusau International Airport.

The inaugural flight, operated by Max Air (flight NGL270), departed on Friday carrying 415 intending pilgrims directly to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to an official statement by Sulaiman Idris, the spokesperson to Governor Dauda Lawal, the first batch of travelers comprised 288 males and 127 females. Out of a total of 1,451 state pilgrims expected to perform the 2026 Hajj exercise, this marked the first time since Zamfara’s creation in 1996 that airlifts were conducted locally.

Speaking during a ceremony at the tarmac to send forth the batch, Governor Lawal expressed profound excitement and fulfillment, describing the airport as a legacy project designed to erase decades of operational hurdles.

“I am happy today that our pilgrims will be flying directly from Gusau International Airport to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage,” Governor Lawal stated. “Many doubted this would become a reality, but today it has. We began building this International Airport on June 18, 2024.”

The governor emphasized that the operationalization of the facility completely eliminates the severe logistical and security risks previously faced by Zamfara citizens, who historically had to endure long, hazardous road journeys to airports in Sokoto or Kano to secure Hajj transit. With the new direct route, the governor noted that pilgrims can now comfortably reach Saudi Arabia in less than four hours.

While acknowledging that previous administrations had initiated versions of the airport project that languished uncompleted, Governor Lawal framed the rapid completion as a strict validation of his campaign promises to the state. He further revealed that the government has already entered advanced discussions with major aviation carriers to launch full-scale domestic and commercial flight operations from Gusau in the near future.

Before the aircraft taxied for takeoff, the governor urged the outbound citizens to maintain exemplary behavior, act as worthy ambassadors of Zamfara State, and offer intense prayers for sustained peace and security across both the state and the wider Nigerian nation.