The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has assured of support to the 2024 Hajj pilgrims, Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said.
Shettima made this known Wednesday at the inauguration of the 2024 National Hajj operation at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport (SABIA), Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi state capital.
The first inaugural flight conveying pilgrims for 2024 Hajj from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia departed via Flynas airline with 422 Kebbi pilgrims and seven officials taking off at 4: 54 pm Nigerian time.
And simultaneously, Air Peace followed with 299 pilgrims and five officials from the FCT at 5.44pm, while some 545 pilgrims from Nasarawa state also flew out via Max Air from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 8.04pm, thus bringing the total number airlifted to Madina, Saudi Arabia, to 1,266 as at the time of this report.
Inaugurating the airlift exercise by 1:02pm, Vice President Shettima told the pilgrims the challenges that almost crippled 2024 Hajj exercise.
He said: “You may recall that this year, we had a major challenge in announcing the final hajj fare for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage due to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates.
“President Bola Tinubu also worked round the clock to control the downwards spiral of our local currency to bring relief to our pilgrims and other Nigerians, a move that eventually succeeded in lowering the fare. The President approved the release of N90 billion to subsidize the cost of pilgrimage for this year’s hajj.”
He said that the government of Renewed Hope, led by Tinubu, “attaches immense importance to religious pilgrimage due to the role it plays in transforming behavioral and social vices of the believers beyond performing the pilgrimage.
“Due to this high regard, the government took time to carefully select men of integrity with administrative acumen and records of selfless dedication to manage the affairs of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria in the interest of Nigerian pilgrims.”
“Government at the highest level monitors all arrangements meant for the wellbeing of our pilgrims both in Saudi Arabia and within the country before embarking on the journey.
“We are aware of the provision put in place for the safety, security and comfort of the Nigerian contingent to the 2024 hajj…,” the VP said.
Shettima urged the pilgrims to pray for the success of the Tinubu administration, peace and progress of the country, saying Nigeria is one place “we are proud to call our motherland.”
” Indeed, it is through our collective prayers and individual contributions that our country will prosper,” Shettima said.
…Exercise excites Sultan
Earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, had tasked Nigerian pilgrims on discipline and urged them to positively project the country’s image in the Holy Land.
He said: “As you heard that NAHCON Chairman said when all hopes were lost, light showed at one end and today we are having the inaugural flight for the 2024 Hajj.
“We never lost hope that we will go for hajj. We are in an era of Renewed Hope. So, tell Asiwaju that his real hope is still being expected to shine everywhere.
“We are looking for more; we want more of good leadership. We want to thank the President for his leadership.
“We thank the Vice President and all governors for our states who have been standing by to help the common man to survive.”
…Our breakthrough – NAHCON
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, described the occasion as memorable in the short life of the Fifth Board because the management was about to put to test the many strategies conceived for the safe delivery of a well-organized Hajj season.
“We stand to be assessed for the promises we have made to spearhead an outing that would be recorded as one of the best in recent times,” he said.
He highlighted some of the achievements of the commission to include “securing accommodation for pilgrims in Mina closer to the Jamarat. Another achievement was the successful conclusion of visa issuance to every eligible pilgrim before commencement of the year’s airlift, and the Commission recorded a reduction in Hajj fare when calculated in Dollars.”
On measures taken by the Hajj body to cushion the effect of high Dollar rate, Arabi said these included “reduced days in Madina from eight days to four days, in addition to discounted amount in the total cost of accommodation. Another measure was reducing BTA (Basic Traveling Allowance) from 800 to 500 Dollars.”
The chairman advised those who needed more BTA to source the relevant currency individually.
Like the other speakers, the NAHCON boss advised the pilgrims “to be obedient, patient, pray for Nigeria and her leaders and pray for guidance of our youth as future leaders of our country.”
Arabi was earlier on ground to inspect the aircraft in the company of his three permanent Commissioners and Commissioner representing North-west for the commencement of the inaugural flight.
During his inspection of the aircraft, Arabi advised the airport management to provide additional boarding stairs for the aircraft’s back door to facilitate quicker boarding.
The NHCON boss also inspected Abuja’s Bassa Jiwa Hajj Transit Camp and the Birnin Kebbi Hajj camp ahead of the inaugural flight.
…Kebbi gov expresses delight
Also speaking, Kebbi state Governor Nasir Idris expressed appreciation that for the first time, his state was hosting an inaugural flight for Hajj..
He assured of the state government’s continued support for the agency throughout the Hajj exercise.
Idris commended various Hajj managers for organizing the pilgrimage in such a manner that pilgrims will carry out their worship with concentration without distractions, and prayed for the acceptance of their worship.
The governor recalled that last year’s airlift of Kebbi State pilgrims was carried out from Sokoto due to obstacles in embarkation point, adding that his administration provided the necessary facilities at the SABIA airport and the state’s Hajj camp making SABIA departure center a reality this year.
…Dignitaries in attendance
Dignitaries that graced the inaugural flight were royal fathers led by His Eminence, Sultan Abubakar III of Sokoto Caliphate, Sen. Abubakar Sani Bello, Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Ali Ndume, Chairman House Committee on Pilgrimage, Hon. Jafar Muhammad Ali, Senator Abdul Ningi, Senator Sahabi Alhaji Yau and former senators from Zuru, Bala Ibn Na’Allah and Muhammad Magoro.
Others were Kebbi state Deputy Governor Umar Abubakar, Secretary to the Kebbi state Government, Yakubu Tafida, and members of the State Executive Council, among others.
The rest included Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, Minister of State Education, Hon. Yusuf Sununu, Alhaji Faruku Aliyu Chairman of Kebbi State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, Yaro-Enabo, who was supported by his colleagues namely; Executive Secretaries from Adamawa, Abubakar Salisu; Plateau, Alhaji Dayyabu Dauda, Bayelsa, Ms Amira Dokubo; and Alhaji Sa’adu Hassan from Gombe.
…Saudi launches guides for pilgrims
In a related development, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has launched 15 comprehensive guides aimed at assisting pilgrims from around the world, providing easy-to-follow information covering all stages of the Hajj rituals.
This initiative is part of the ministry’s ongoing communication and awareness efforts for the Hajj season of 1445 AH / 2024 AD.
This, the ministry said, is available on its website: https://guide.haj.gov.sa/
The guides address common questions from pilgrims in over 16 widely spoken languages, including Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian, Hausa, Amharic, Persian, Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Sinhalese, Uzbek, and Malaysian.
These guides provide essential legal, health, procedural, and regulatory information using simple language, detailed images, diagrams, and educational video clips. Additionally, there is an option for audio versions of the guides.