The advance team of 31 officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Sunday departed for Saudi Arabia from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
The team made up of 21 NAHCON officials and 10 Medical Personnel will be in Saudi Arabia for the final preparation to receive the first set of Nigerian pilgrims from Nassarawa State who would be arriving in the Kingdom on Thursday for the Pilgrimage.
The team, led by the Deputy Director, Training, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, is to coordinate the reception, accommodation, feeding and transportation, health and general welfare of the pilgrims throughout the Hajj period.
During a brief farewell at the Hajj House before their departure to the Holy Land, NAHCON’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan described Hajj as a global issue whose aim is to establish unity among the Ummah.
He enjoined the officials to take their job seriously by identifying the best goals and methods to achieve success in their assignments which is for the pilgrims to enjoy value for money and obtain Hajj Mabrur.
“You must be diligent, committed, vigilant and particularly, you must have patience and act in the right manner at all times, so that in the end, you can achieve the benefit of here and the hereafter”, he said.
The NAHCON boss said that in spite of the challenge posed by the Sudan Military crises, the commission was able to fulfil its promise and is on course to ensure that the Thursday inaugural flight remained sacrosanct.
Alhaji Hassan prayed to the Almighty Allah to assist the commission in making this year’s Hajj, the best experience for the pilgrims.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai described the event as an epoch, stressing that it marked the beginning of this year’s Hajj operation.
He described the Advance Team as the foundation on which the success of this year’s Hajj will be built, adding “If it is very strong, then the rest of the structure will be solid. Therefore, I want to enjoin you to discharge your duties with the utmost sense of responsibility and I want to assure you of the commission’s support for your team to achieve the desired objectives.”
In the same vein, the Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics and Library Services (PRSILS), Sheikh Suleiman Momoh enjoined the team members to pray for the success of the Hajj exercise when they get to the Holy Land.
“I just have one request for you and that is, when you get to Madina, please go and pray for the success of this year’s Hajj,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the team, Alhaji Tajudeen Akande and Dr. Galadima expressed appreciation to the management for the trust and confidence reposed in them and assured them of their determination and readiness to make this year’s Hajj more successful than in previous years.
“On behalf of the team, I want to thank the management for the support extended to us, we will put in our best to ensure we achieve success”, Akande said.
