The Commissioner for Licence, Compliance and Operations of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, has commended the peaceful and exemplary conduct of Lagos State pilgrims in the ongoing 2025 Hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The commendation was contained in a statement signed by the State’s Pilgrims Welfare Board’s Public Affairs Officer, Taofeek Lawal, and issued on Sunday.
Elegushi, according to the release, made the commendation on Saturday when he led other NAHCON officials on a visit to the Lagos tent in Mina, during a special prayer organised by the Board.
He urged the pilgrims to remain calm and peaceful as plans are underway to return them to Nigeria as soon as possible.
Elegushi praised President Bola Tinubu over the bold reforms embarked upon by his administration, saying that if the President had done otherwise, the economic situation of the country would have been precarious.
While acknowledging that the subsidy removal, floating of the naira and other genuine reforms came with initial hardship, he affirmed that the reforms are now yielding fruitful results as prices of foods and other items are gradually coming down.
He appealed to Nigerians, especially market men and women, transporters, and others to reciprocate this improvement, by reducing the prices they placed on their goods and services in order to reduce the hardship faced by masses in the country.
Earlier in his address, the Amir-ul-Hajj/Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, said that the special prayer was organised for the pilgrims to collectively appreciate Allah for His protection throughout the performance of the major Hajj rites in the Holy land, pray for the governor and his deputy, President Tinubu and entire Nigerians, as well as seek Allah’s mercy for a safe trip back home.
While appreciating their cooperation with officials so far, he assured them that after completing the third stage of throwing pebbles at Jamarat on Sunday (12th Dhul-Hijjah), they would be moved to Makkah to perform Tawaful Ifadah and run the Sai (Safa and Marwa) in the Grand Mosque (Haram) and stay in their hotels, then set for their final departure to Nigeria.
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The Amir-ul-Hajj, while appreciating the support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, announced that barring any unforeseen situation, the homebound journey would begin on June 15 or 16.
He however cautioned the pilgrims against carrying luggage above the approved kilos, emphasizing that each pilgrim is entitled to 32kg and 8kg bags respectively, warning that any one that carries more than the approved luggage might forfeit such or otherwise pay for excess cargo to private operators by themselves.
Government functionaries at the prayer session included Special Adviser on Islamic Matters/Chairman, Central Working Committee (CWC), Dr. Ahmad Abdullahi Jebe; Prof. AbdulKabir Paramole (Dawah and Sensitization); Imam (Engr.) Shakiru Ayinde Gafar (Mina and Arafah); AbdulHakeem Ajomagberin (Board Secretary); and Dr. Faosat Dabiri (Medical).
Others were Alhaji Yusuf Ara (Bags and Luggage), Alhaji Waheed Sanni (Transportation), and Alhaji AbdulWaheed Shonibare (Airlifting and Manifest) among others.
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