2023 Hajj: NAHCON to complete airlifting Nigerian pilgrims Thursday

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has again assured that it would complete airlift of the remaining Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj by Thursday, June 22, ahead of the June 24 deadline given by the Saudi authorities.

This is even as the Hajj body allayed the fear being expressed by the remaining pilgrims from Lagos State of not making to the Holy Land, saying that the last batch of pilgrims from the state would be airlifted on Tuesday (tomorrow).

There has been anxiety among the remaining pilgrims that registered with the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board over their inability to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj exercise.

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Some of the pilgrims were said to have been at the Hajj camp for days without making it to the Holy Land, leading to panic and fear of being excluded from this year’s Hajj.

Speaking on the development in a telephone conversation with Nigerian Tribune, NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki, assured that nobody would be left stranded.

According to him, the flight for the last batch of Lagos pilgrims, comprising over 100 pilgrims, their officials and some NAHCON officials, was supposed to fly to Saudi Arabia on Monday (today) but had been rescheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday).

Ubandawaki noted that anxiety was that cause of the panic among the remaining pilgrims, adding that it was the state pilgrims board that assigns pilgrims to be airlifted on a particular flight, not NAHCON, which he said was only a regulatory body.

“The last flight of Lagos is Tuesday (tomorrow). It is supposed to be Monday (today) but is now rescheduled for Tuesday, the 20th June. Nobody is stranded.

“What happens is that people are always anxious; it is anxiety. When pilgrims are being airlifted, others will be anxious to be included. It is Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board that assigns pilgrims to be airlifted.

“Those that so not have any problems will definitely be included in the last flight. I think they are about 100 and something. They will be airlifted by Tuesday,” Ubandawaki assured.

He added that the commission is working hard towards ensuring that airlift of Nigerian pilgrims is completed by Thursday, June 22 ahead of the June 24 deadline given by Saudi Arabia.