Contrary to reports in many newspapers and online media claiming that the Maiduguri airport was closed to deny its use for the airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, the airport was only observing restriction of the facility for military use in the light of ongoing operations in the area, the military has said.
It was reported that a Max airline chartered by a Hajj and Umrah operator which arrived Maiduguri airport to airlift over 200 pilgrims, who had undergone security checks, were barred by the military in the state over what they (military) claimed was for security reasons.
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