A 37-year-old Nigerian woman who was reported missing shortly after arriving in Doha, Qatar, has been found safe in a hospital, her family has confirmed.
The woman had travelled from Lagos to Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1408. Her family reportedly lost contact with her shortly before or after the aircraft landed.
Her brother, Jonathan Jibo, had earlier raised the alarm, explaining that she was visiting Qatar for the first time and had no friends in the country. Her accommodation had reportedly been arranged and paid for months before her trip, while a designated person was waiting to pick her up at the airport but could not locate her.
The woman, who had worked at Lagos airport for nearly 12 years, was expected to begin a new job in Doha weeks after her arrival.
Following the disappearance, her family appealed to the Nigerian Embassy in Qatar, Qatar Airways and other authorities for assistance in locating her.
Jibo confirmed on Sunday that his sister had been found. In an update on X, he said she had fallen ill after arriving in Qatar and was taken from the airport to a hospital.
“Good news… My sister has been found today, she was sick and was taken to the hospital from the airport,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to everyone who supported the search, particularly the Nigerian Embassy in Doha, Qatar Airways and Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The development followed an earlier confirmation from Achimugu that the airline’s checks showed the woman had arrived safely in Doha, collected her luggage and exited the airport.
Achimugu later said efforts were underway to determine whether she had reached the hotel booked for her before travelling. He subsequently announced that he had received information that she was safe and had been sighted with fellow Nigerians.
The family has now confirmed that she has been located and is receiving medical care.
