As the deadline given by the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for countries to complete the airlift of their pilgrims inches closer, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has intensified the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to the Holy Land for this year’s Hajj exercise in order to beat the deadline for closure of airports.
As of Sunday evening, a total of 16,984 pilgrims from Nigeria have so far been airlifted in combined 38 flights.
The pilgrims drawn from 19 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and the armed forces were airlifted by the three airlines operators, Max Air; Azman Air and Fly Nas, assigned to ferry the country’s contingent to Saudi Arabia this year.
Sokoto State leads the Nigerian contingent with the highest number of 1,630 pilgrims already in the Holy Land.
Adamawa has 1,117; Bauchi 1,303 Benue 101; Borno 1,040; Ekiti 136; FCT 1,535; Gombe 547; Kaduna 793 and Katsina 554.
Kebbi 412; Kogi 361; Kwara 1,100; Lagos 1,598; Ogun 467; Ondo 249; Osun 577; Oyo 340; Yobe 795 and Zamfara 1,191, while the armed forces have 329 personnel on the pilgrimage so far.
A total of 12,860 Nigerian pilgrims landed in Madinah, while 4,119 landed in Jeddah since the commencement of their airlift from Nigeria with the inaugural flight on June 9 from Maiduguri International Airport in the Borno State capital.
As of Sunday evening, 11,801 Nigerian pilgrims are in Madinah, while 5,178 have already moved to Makkah ahead of the commencement of this year’s Hajj proper after spending some days in Madinah visiting the Prophet Muhammad’s mosques and other historic sites in the city.
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More Nigerian pilgrims are expected to be conveyed to Saudi Arabia in the days to come to join other pilgrims from across the world to perform this year’s Hajj, which is the fifth pillar of Islam, after the absence of international pilgrims in the Holy Land to perform the exercise both in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVIS-19 pandemic.
A total of 43,008 Nigerian pilgrims are expected to perform this year’s Hajj.
NAHCON had last week assured of its determination and readiness to airlift all Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj exercise, stating that after the initial slow pace of airlifting the pilgrims, momentum in the operation would pick up.
The Hajj body then enjoyed state pilgrims’ welfare boards to quicken screening and conveyance of their pilgrims to various airports being used as departure points for onward airlift to Saudi Arabia.
According to the commission in a statement signed by its Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara and made available to Nigerian Tribune, “With the hurried way the year’s Hajj was organised globally, Nigeria’s Hajj industry experienced delay in meeting one of the aviation processes in the host country.
“However, the matter has been put to rest and in a matter of hours, the momentum in the Hajj airlift will pick up. So far, the country’s air carriers have deployed aircraft to speed up the ferrying of pilgrims for the 2022 Hajj season.
“It is in tune with this development that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is entreating State Pilgrims’Welfare Boards to quicken the screening and conveyance of their pilgrims to the airports for onward trip to Saudi Arabia to cover lost grounds.”
It then promised to ensure that all registered pilgrims for this year’s Hajj are successfully moved to Saudi Arabia before the closure of Jeddah airport, declaring that, “this is possible only with the cooperation of both state officials and the.pilgrims.”
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