Sokoto donates N85.5m pilgrims

The Sokoto State Government has donated N85.5 million to its 4,750 pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The Director-General of the Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, made the disclosure in a chat with newsmen in Sokoto on Saturday.
Umar said each of the pilgrims would get 200 Saudi Riyals, which is about N18,000, and noted that the annual gesture was to assist the pilgrim who might likely exhaust their basic travelling allowances.
The director-general further expressed happiness with the successful conduct of the pilgrims during the hajj.
Umar also said that all the committees and the state hajj delegation performed creditably, noting that all the 4,750 pilgrims were hale and hearty.
Umar said: “All our pilgrims are intact, hale and hearty, except for minor illnesses like cold, fever, headache, body aches and dysentery.
“The health personnel from the state and the 23 local governments are providing first aid services to the pilgrims.
“The pilgrims are only referred to the national clinic set up by the Federal Government if there is the absolute need to do so.”
Umar further disclosed that the agency had completed all the necessary arrangements for the commencement of the transportation of the state’s pilgrims back to Nigeria by Max Airline on September 20.