14.2% pilgrims airlifted, 10 days after commencement
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), as of yesterday, had airlifted 6,141 (14.2 percent) pilgrims of the 43,008 slots allocated to Nigeria, ten days after commencement of the exercise. The first set of 546 intending Muslim pilgrims was airlifted from the Maiduguri International Airport in Borno State to Saudi Arabia on June 9. Gunmen […]
Zikirullah Olakunle Hassan – NAHCON Chairman
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), as of yesterday, had airlifted 6,141 (14.2 percent) pilgrims of the 43,008 slots allocated to Nigeria, ten days after commencement of the exercise.
The first set of 546 intending Muslim pilgrims was airlifted from the Maiduguri International Airport in Borno State to Saudi Arabia on June 9.
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A breakdown by NAHCON showed that pilgrims from only 10 of 36 states and the FCT have been airlifted to Saudi Arabia.
The slow pace of the exercise is attributed to glitches from NAHCON, some state pilgrims board and some of the airlines.
The states that had their pilgrims airlifted include: Bauchi, 758; Borno, 516; FCT, 715; Kwara, 540; Lagos, 851. Others are, Nasarawa, 779; Ogun, 400; Osun, 577; Oyo, 259 and Zamfara, 344.
Of these figures, 5,093 pilgrims landed in Medina; and1,048 others, in Jeddah.
NAHCON’s spokesperson, Fatima Usara, could not be reached yesterday as she neither answered phone calls nor replied a text by Daily Trust seeking her reaction.