Posted by By Sun News Publishing on
No fewer than 10,000 Nigerian pilgrims have departed for the hajj rites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the airlift operations were flagged off in Katsina by the Amirul Hajj, Senator Teslim Folarin on Thursday last week. More aircraft will be drafted to join the outward-bound airlift of pilgrims, which is expected to end December 11.
No fewer than 10,000 Nigerian pilgrims have departed for the hajj rites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the airlift operations were flagged off in Katsina by the Amirul Hajj, Senator Teslim Folarin on Thursday last week. More aircraft will be drafted to join the outward-bound airlift of pilgrims, which is expected to end December 11.
A weekly pilgrims and flights movement statistics made available by the Commissioner, (Operations) in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Dr. Badmos Lanre Yusuf, showed that 577 pilgrims were ferried from Katsina and Minna on the first day of the airlift, which began November 22.
A total of 1,765 pilgrims departed from Sokoto, Minna, Katsina, Abuja and Lagos on November 24, while 4,590 pilgrims left from Sokoto, Katsina, Ilorin, Minna and Abuja on November 25.
Another 1,665 pilgrims departed from Katsina, Sokoto, Minna and Abuja on November 26, while November 27, flights from Katsina, Sokoto, Minna, Lagos and Abuja had on board a total of 1,972 pilgrims.
Dr. Yusuf expressed satisfaction with the airlift operations in the first week of the exercise and called on the carriers to maintain the tempo to avoid heavy fines to be paid by any defaulting airlines.
The commissioner said plans were on to bring in more aircraft for the operations because NAHCON was determined to end the exercise well ahead of the Dec 11 deadline for the airlift of 80,000 regular pilgrims.
Addressing the pilgrims during the take-off flight, Amir-Hajj, Senator Teslim Folarin had called on the pilgrims to remember the country in prayers, especially at all sacred places of worship.
He told them to fear God during the hajj rites and obey officials appointed to serve them, stressing that they needed to move in groups to avoid getting lost in crowds and spend their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA)prudently.
The amirul-hajj assured the pilgrims that arrangements had been made for their comfort in the holy land and advised them against unhygienic practices and poisonous food, promising that his team would attend to their needs.