The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has so far airlifted over 50,000 Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The figure was contained in the 2023 hajj airlift update released in the early hours of Thursday by the Commission.
According to the update, NAHCON has airlifted 50,059 Nigerian pilgrims via 119 flights.
The update stated further that the latest pilgrims to be airlifted were 429 from the Federal Capital Territory and 46 officials aboard an Aero Contractors aircraft.
They left Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Madinah at 12:01am on Thursday.
The breakdown of the pilgrims showed 270 were males and 159 females.
With the latest developments, NAHCON is left with less than 25,000 pilgrims to airlift to Saudi Arabia.
It would be recalled that the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, had during the inaugural flight ceremony in Abuja assured that all registered intending pilgrims would be airlifted to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s hajj.
Hassan said necessary arrangements, including backup measures, were in place to ensure hitch-free airlift operations.