Barring any last-minute changes, the last Nigerian pilgrim to the 2023 Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Alhaja Kuburat Motolani Oloruntunmi, is expected back in the country later today.
The 65-year-old Oloruntunmi was left behind in Makkah as of the time the last batch of Nigerian contingent, including officials, were returning to Nigeria due to her illness, leading to her being admitted at the Ibn Sina Hospital in Makkah.
The Tribune Online gathered that the Lagos State pilgrim was discharged from the hospital on Monday, and arrangements were concluded for her homeward journey to Nigeria.
According to information made available by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Oloruntunmi was received upon her discharge from the hospital by NAHCON’s Saudi Liaison Officer, Ustaz Abubakar Lamin.
Meanwhile, NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, informed the Tribune Online that Oloruntunmi was first admitted to the Ibn Sina Hospital on Tuesday, July 4, with a high-grade fever and a severe infection of her left eye.
The pilgrim, according to him, was further diagnosed with a decreased level of consciousness and recurrent convulsions, and she was consequently operated upon by a team of neurosurgeons on Thursday, July 6.
She was said to have remained in the intensive care unit (ICU) in the hospital till she moved to the MICU on July 17.
Another Nigerian pilgrim left behind in Makkah, Umar Hamza, did not make it back to Nigeria as he died on Thursday, November 9 in the Holy Land.
The 75-year-old pilgrim from Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State died of a protracted illness. He fell ill during the Hajj exercise in Makkah and was admitted to a hospital, where he eventually passed on.
Reports have it that the Kano State government sponsored a member of the family of the late Hamza to Saudi Arabia to take care of him in the hospital.
NAHCON completed the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the 2023 Hajj on July 31, three clear days ahead of its target of August 3.
The last batch of Nigerian pilgrims, made up of 298 Kaduna State pilgrims, one Bauchi pilgrim, and 16 officials, were conveyed back home by an Azman Airline flight, which was the 183rd flight for the homeward flight operation after the completion of the obligatory spiritual exercise on June 30.
The Hajj body had commenced the return flights on Tuesday, July 4, with all five airlines approved for the operation—Fly Nas, Azman Airline, Air Peace, Aero Contractor, and Max Air—fully involved in the operation.
A total of 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims performed the 2023 Hajj exercise, out of which about 28 lost their lives in the Holy Land.
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