The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has as of Friday so far airlifted a total of 3,275 Nigerian pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj, three days into commencement of the airlift operation.
The Vice-President, Senator Kashim Shettima had on Wednesday, May 15 led dignitaries, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who doubles as the President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Kebbi governor, Nasir Idris, NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, among others, to flag off the inaugural flight for this year’s airlift operation.
The inaugural flight carrying a total of 422 Kebbi State pilgrims took off from the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, the state capital and headed for the Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madina.
Coming on the heels of the inaugural flight, same Wednesday, two other flights from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International, Abuja, also conveyed pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa State respective to Madina.
A total of 299 pilgrims from FCT left Abuja on the first day of operation, closely followed by a flight conveying 545 pilgrims from Nasarawa State to the holy land.
On Thursday, May 16, three flights from Abuja and Birnin Kebbi respectively, departed the ahores of Nigeria for Saudi Arabia with 301 FCT pilgrims; 505 Nasarawa pilgrims and 423 pilgrims from Kevbi State.
According to data made available by NAHCON Control and Command Centre, 310 pilgrims from FCT left for Madina from Abuja, while 425 pilgrims from Lagos departed for Saudi Arabia through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, today.
Tribune Online gathered that all the three airlines approved for this year’s airlift operation, Air Peace; Max Air and Saudi -based FlyNas, have been fully involved in the operation so far.
NAHCON Chairman, Mallam Arabi had said that about 90 per cent of Nigerian pilgrims would be flown directly to Madina from Nigeria. The pilgrim, according to him, would spend a maximum of four days in the Islam’s second holiest city before heading to Makkah for the Hajj rites proper.
An official of the Hajj body, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed so far the airlift operation had be smooth, assuring that NAHCON was poised to surpass its previous operations this year.
According to him, the outward bound airlift was expected to be completed on June 10, saying that the aim of the commission was to complete the airlift of the about 65,000 pilgrims before that date.
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