He said while bidding the first batch of 560 Niger State intending pilgrims to the Holy Land farewell that there was a need to sponsor pilgrims on special duty.
According to governor Aliyu “when the government’s responsibility is the welfare of the people then the first is the protection of lives and properties and then followed by welfare. You cannot say you cannot sponsor.
“There are countries that may not sponsor because they have the right infrastructure on ground. We need to sponsor the Hajj Commission members, Medical team, and other people that will go and preach.”
He added that “there are some that are visiting the state capital for the first time courtesy of Hajj to be airlifted. The sponsorship of pilgrims has to do with their living in the Holy land; it is not paying for a person to go, but if he pays for himself, government must ensure his accommodation.
“I have ensured that everybody going to the Holy land be lodged near the Mosque so that they can be able to pray at least five times daily; where they are going to stay in Arafat. I said they must be fed”.
Also, the wife of the Governor, Hajia Jumai Aliyu charged the pilgrims to be law abiding and be good Ambassadors of Nigeria.
Chairman of the State’s Pilgrims Welfare Commission (NSPWC) Flight and Transport Officer, Umar Maku stated in a brief interview with Journalists that the first batch of 560 Niger State intending pilgrims to the Holy Land.
The pilgrims are drawn from Six Local Government Councils of the state. Edati LGA – 90, Mashegu LGA-160, Rijau-110, Borgu LGA-108, Gurara LGA- 64 and Lapai LGA-5. Five of the pilgrims are from the medical team; eight from NSPWC while ten others from National Hajj Commission.
The first flight of the intending pilgrims which took off 5:10pm on Monday is expected to land in Medina Airport.
The 747 Max Air 5N-DDK Aircraft is expected to airlift all 3,354 intending Pilgrims allocated to his Airline in six flights from Niger state everyday in the next five days.