Nigerian woman reportedly missing in Qatar found in hospital
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 travelled from Lagos to Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1408 but reportedly lost contact with her family shortly before or after the aircraft landed.
Her brother, Jonathan Jibo, said she was visiting Qatar for the first time and had no friends in the country. He added that her accommodation had been arranged and paid for months before the trip, while a designated person waited at the airport to pick her up but could not locate her.
The woman, who had reportedly worked at the Lagos airport for nearly 12 years, was expected to resume work in Doha weeks after her arrival. Her disappearance prompted concern among her family and social media users, with appeals made to the Nigerian Embassy in Qatar and other authorities.
Jibo, who raised the alarm on social media, confirmed on Sunday that his sister had been found after falling ill upon arrival in Qatar. “My sister has been found today. She was sick and was taken to the hospital from the airport,” he said in an update on X.
He expressed appreciation to those who helped amplify the search, including the Nigerian Embassy in Doha, Qatar Airways and the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu.
The development came less than 24 hours after Achimugu said checks by the airline showed that the woman had arrived safely in Doha, collected her luggage and exited the airport. “I have confirmed, via the airline, that CCTV shows your sister arrived safely, picked her bags, and exited the terminal,” he had said.
Achimugu later disclosed that efforts were underway to determine whether she had reached the hotel booked for her before travelling. In a subsequent update, he said he had been informed that the woman was safe and had been sighted with other Nigerians, although he withheld further details pending direct confirmation from her.
