Hajj pilgrims return journey nears completion

As the return leg has entered its 21st day, today July 12, over 40,000 Nigerian pilgrims have returned home.

This development represents about 71% of pilgrims executed by the three designated airlines in 96 flights till date.

Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Edo, Bauchi, Kaduna, Borno, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Yobe, Plateau, Kano, Ondo and Kaduna States including the FCT and Armed Forces have concluded airlifting of their pilgrims back home.

While Gombe, Katsina, Adamawa, Jigawa and Taraba states are expected to round off airlifitng in the next few days.

Kaduna which has 4,767 pilgrims, the largest contingent on Wednesday completed its airlifting.

The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency said it has completed the transportation of 2024 Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.

The agencystated this in a statement issued by its Spokesman, Malam Yunusa Abdullahi,
on Wednesday after their arrival.

Abdullahi quoted the Chairman of the agency, Malam Salihu Abubakar, as commending Gov. Uba Sani “for providing all necessary assistance to ensure a hitch-free Hajj.”

Abubakar said that the governor allowed the management to run the agency throughout the pilgrimage, adding that “the last batch of pilgrims who returned were 56 and they came onboard Max Air, most of them officials.”

He recalled that the state had the highest Hajj contingent with 4,767 pilgrims, regretting that three pilgrims out of the number died in the Holy Land.

He also commended the pilgrims for their orderly conduct during the pilgrimage, noting that they largely complied with both the Hajj guidelines and the laws of Saudi Arabia.

He further commended the management and staff of the agency, as well as Hajj officials, for the smooth conduct of the 2024 pilgrimage.

Source: vanguard