The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria on Thursday said it would end the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on June 24.
This was just as it empathised with intending pilgrims unable to participate in this year’s hajj for whatever reason.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs of NAHCON, Fatima Sanda Usara.
The statement said: “Outbound movement of pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia would be winding up in few hours time.
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“It has been a 27 days marathon aboard 170 flights so far into Jeddah and Madinah airports covering above 71,000 thousand Nigerian pilgrims and still counting.”
Usara stated further that Aero Contractors, Max Air, Air Peace had concluded conveyance of their allocated pilgrims, leaving Azman and Flynas to conclude for some reasons.
She added that Flynas would conclude conveyance of pilgrims on government quota on June 23, Max Air, that is on rescue mission, would conclude conveyance of Private Tour Operators’ passengers on June 24.
“A special flight that would convey officials has been arranged to take off on Friday, June 23,” Usara said.
The Commission in addition called on any eligible pilgrim with valid travel documents that had not been contacted for the trip to approach the nearest pilgrims’ welfare agency for confirmation and subsequent airlift to Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Director said NAHCON was grateful to all stakeholders for their support.
In the same vein, Usara said the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, congratulated all the Nigerian pilgrims and urged them to dedicate their time to hajj rituals and remain people of integrity and honour while in the holy land.
According to the Assistant Director, the NAHCON Chairman empathised with intending pilgrims who couldn’t participate in this year’s hajj for any reason.
She added that the Chairman reminded the affected intending pilgrims that hajj was a divine call meant only for those who were due.
“He, therefore, 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,” Usara added.
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