In a shocking travel disruption, dozens of Nigerian passengers were left stranded in Lome, Togo, after their Air France flight from Paris was diverted due to bad weather in Abuja—only for the same aircraft to later return to Abuja without them.

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, took to social media to condemn the situation, revealing that while the flight had initially been rerouted for safety reasons, Air France allegedly planned to leave the affected passengers in Lome overnight. This decision sparked outrage, especially as the same aircraft was scheduled to return to Abuja that night to pick up new passengers.

Keyamo, expressing strong dissatisfaction, said he immediately directed his Director of Air Transport Management to engage Air France’s country manager. He also personally contacted Air France Nigeria, insisting that the stranded passengers must either be flown back to Abuja that night or provided accommodations in line with international standards.

The incident has ignited widespread criticism, with many questioning Air France’s treatment of Nigerian travelers and its commitment to passenger welfare. As the backlash grows, all eyes are on the airline to see how it resolves the controversy.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.