By Emmanuel Daniji

What was supposed to be Saratu Jibo’s first journey outside Nigeria has turned into an anxious wait for her family after the 37-year-old reportedly went missing shortly after arriving in Doha, Qatar.

Saratu had travelled from Lagos aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1408 on Tuesday. According to her family, the flight arrived safely in Doha, but more than 48 hours later, they were still unable to reach her or establish her whereabouts.

Her brother, Jonathan Jibo, raised the alarm in a post on X on Saturday, explaining that Saratu had remained in contact with the family while she was on the flight.

According to him, she used the aircraft’s Wi-Fi to communicate with them on WhatsApp, but all communication suddenly stopped after she arrived in Qatar.

The family’s concern deepened when the person assigned to receive Saratu at the airport reportedly waited for her but could not find her.

Inquiries made by the family at the airport and with the airline reportedly showed that Saratu had collected her luggage after arriving.

But what happened to her afterwards remains unknown.

For the Jibo family, the situation is particularly troubling because Saratu was not unfamiliar with airports or air travel procedures. She had spent almost 12 years working at the Lagos airport and was familiar with how airport operations worked.

Yet, this was her first trip outside Nigeria.

Jonathan said his sister had no friends or known contacts in Qatar. He added that she had planned the trip herself months earlier and paid for her travel, accommodation and other arrangements. She was also expected to resume work in Doha a few weeks after her arrival.

The family has since begun efforts to trace her last movements.

Jonathan said they had contacted the agent who facilitated the trip and asked that the appropriate authorities be notified. They are also working to obtain CCTV footage from the airport in the hope of establishing where Saratu went after collecting her luggage and whether anyone was with her.

“We have been communicating well with the authorities so we can see the CCTV camera footage of her ‘last seen’ and identify who was with her last that can give us a lead,” Jonathan said.

Beyond the search for answers is a family struggling with the uncertainty of not knowing what has happened to one of their own.

Jonathan expressed particular concern about the effect of the situation on their mother, who had been looking forward to hearing from Saratu after her journey.

He has appealed to Nigerians to help share information about his sister and draw the attention of relevant authorities, including the Nigerian diplomatic mission in Doha, to her disappearance.

For now, the family is left hoping that CCTV footage, airport records or information from anyone who may have seen Saratu after she landed will provide the clue they desperately need.

As of the time of filing this report, Saratu Jibo’s whereabouts remained unknown, with her family still searching for answers about what happened after she arrived safely in Doha.