Three days after the completion of this year’s hajj, Nigerian pilgrims on Friday began their return journey back to Nigeria with pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, being the first batch to leave Saudi Arabia.
A total of 423 pilgrims departed Jeddah international airport for Abuja at about 8:18 am Saudi Arabian time (6:18 am Nigerian time).
The pilgrims were airlifted by Saudi airline, FlyNas.
Another set of FCT pilgrims is also billed to depart Jeddah for Abuja later today.
The inaugural outbound flight from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj departed Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on June 9 with 540 Borno pilgrims aboard a Max Air flight.
It was gathered that the Borno pilgrims who could have been the first to return home based on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON)’s first in, first out policy could not make the inaugural return flight due to FlyNas’s ability to first secure slots ahead of Max Air.
The Borno pilgrims are, however, billed to commence their journey back home tomorrow.
NAHCON Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara, informed that the third airline, Azman, would commence its homeward journey on July 20 due to the delay it experienced during the outbound journey to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage.
She informed that NAHCON Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, had advised State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards to ensure that their pilgrims’ travel documents were ready, while their luggage checking and clearance should be concluded in good time ahead of the departure time to avoid flight delays.
“Similarly, the NAHCON helmsman advised pilgrims to avoid stocking their luggage with contraband items that may necessitate their bags being opened for removal of such contraband items.
“Alhaji Zikrullah also advised Nigerian pilgrims to resist the temptation of overloading their luggage beyond the approved kilograms.
“He reminded them of the consequences of excess luggage which is losing some of their items, especially those in the hand luggage,” Usara stated.
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