By Taibat Abdulkareem
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says it will concludes the transportation of 2023 prospective pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The commission’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, NAHCON, Mrs Fatima Usara, stated this in a statement.
“Outbound movement of pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia will be winding up in few hours` time.
“It has been a 27 days marathon aboard 170 flights so far into Jeddah and Madinah airports conveying above 71,000 Nigerian pilgrims and still counting.
”Before today, Aero Contractors Airline, Max Air, Air Peace, have all concluded transportation of their allocated pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while Azman has one more flight to conclude.
” FlyNas, Saudi Arabian designated airline is expected to close the window of this year’s outbound transportation of pilgrims from public quota, due to technical hitches that pinioned its movement on few occasions.
”For this and other reasons, June 23 and 24 still remain open for landing of Nigerian pilgrims into Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj,” she said.
Usara said while FlyNas would conclude conveyance of pilgrims on government quota by June 23rd, Max Air, on rescue services, would conclude conveyance of Private Tour Operators passengers on June 24.
She disclosed that a special flight that would convey officials has been arranged to take off on June 23.
Usara called on any eligible pilgrim with valid travel documents that has not been contacted for the journey, to approach the nearest pilgrims’ welfare agency for confirmation and subsequent dispatch to the Kingdom for the 2023 pilgrimage.
She said that NAHCON is truly grateful to its numerous stakeholders, from within and abroad, for their teamwork principles through which unforeseen challenges were jointly ebbed away.
Usara said that Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, NAHCON Chairman, urged pilgrims to dedicate their time towards attaining the ultimate hajj Mabrur.
“The chairman enjoined them to remain people of integrity and protect their honour while in the Holy land.
“He reminds them that hajj is an answer to divine call that whoever is destined will answer at the due time.
“He appealed to those affected to take the failure to participate as destiny, and to take solace in the fact that the commission would address their situations accordingly
“On the other hand, he expressed deep pain, and empathised with all bona fide intending pilgrims who were unable to participate in this year’s Hajj for any reason,“ he said.