The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said that airlifting of pilgrims to the Holy Land will end on Saturday.
The commission asked intending pilgrims, yet to be airlifted, to reach the nearest Pilgrims’ Welfare agency for confirmation and subsequent dispatch for the 2023 Hajj Pilgrimage.
In a statement on Thursday, NAHCON’s Assistant Director for Public Affairs, Fatima Usara said: “Outbound movement of pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia would be winding up in a few hours’ time. It has been a 27-day marathon, aboard 170 flights so far into Jeddah and Madinah airports, conveying above 71,000 Nigerian pilgrims and still counting.
“The commission calls on any eligible pilgrims with valid travel documents that have not been contacted for the journey to approach the nearest Pilgrims’ Welfare Agency for confirmation and subsequent dispatch to the Kingdom for the 2023 Hajj exercises”.
NAHCON thanked stakeholders within and outside the country who had contributed to the exercise. It explained that, while other contracted airlines – Aero Contractors, Air Peace, and Max Air – had completed their outbound airlifts, Azman Air had one more flight to conclude, while FlyNas was yet to close the airlift due to technical hitches that stopped its movement on occasions.
Usara added that FlyNas would conclude the conveyance of pilgrims on government quota, while Max Air, on rescue services, would conclude conveyance for tour operators’ passengers in the open time remaining for the landing of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj exercise, while a special flight that would convey officials has been arranged to take off on Friday.
NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Kunle Hassan congratulated the successful pilgrims and urged them to dedicate their time towards attaining the ultimate Hajj Mabrur.
He also sympathised with intending pilgrims who were unable to make the Hajj trip this year and appealed to them to “take the failure to participate as part of destiny, and to take solace in the fact that the commission would address their situations accordingly”.
