A 37-year-old Nigerian woman who went missing shortly after travelling from Lagos to Doha, Qatar, has been found safe in a hospital, according to her family.
The woman had travelled to Qatar on Qatar Airways flight QR1408 and reportedly lost contact with her relatives around the time the aircraft arrived in Doha.
Her brother, Jonathan Jibo, had earlier disclosed that she was visiting Qatar for the first time and did not have any friends in the country.
He added that her accommodation had been secured and paid for several months before her journey, while someone assigned to pick her up from the airport had waited for her without success.
The woman, who had worked at Lagos airport for almost 12 years, was expected to begin a new job in Doha a few weeks after arriving in the country.
Her disappearance prompted concern from relatives and members of the public, leading to appeals for assistance from the Nigerian Embassy in Qatar and other relevant authorities.
However, Jibo announced on Sunday that his sister had been located.
In a post on X, he explained that she had fallen ill after arriving in Qatar and was subsequently taken from the airport to a hospital.
He said, “Good news… My sister has been found today, she was sick and was taken to the hospital from the airport.”
Jibo also expressed appreciation to individuals and organisations that supported the search, particularly the Nigerian Embassy in Doha, Qatar Airways and the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu.
“A big thanks to each and everyone of you online. The Nigerian Embassy in Doha, to ‘The Boss’ Michael Achimugu @mikeachimugu01 and the Qatar Airways Admin, who was kind and understanding. A big thanks to everyone who liked, repost, shared, tagged and commented towards her safety.
“My family and I are forever grateful.”
The confirmation came less than a day after Achimugu disclosed that the airline had verified that the woman arrived in Doha, retrieved her luggage and left the airport.
“I have confirmed, via the airline, that CCTV shows your sister arrived safely, picked her bags, and exited the terminal,” Achimugu had said.
He subsequently said authorities were working to determine whether she had made it to the hotel that had been booked for her before she travelled.
In another update, Achimugu said he had been informed that the woman was safe and had been seen.
“I am being informed that the lady is safe, and has been sighted. She is with fellow Nigerians at the moment, but I cannot disclose details until I have heard from her directly. All will be well,” he said.
The development has brought relief to the woman’s family and those who had joined efforts to locate her after she lost contact with her relatives.
