Lagos completes airlift of 2,200 pilgrims

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has completed the airlift of its pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2019 pilgrimage exercise. The board had airlifted 2,100 pilgrims in five flights, it was learnt. The airlift of the Lagos pilgrims commenced on July 10, 2019 from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA). The fifth batch […]

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has completed the airlift of its pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2019 pilgrimage exercise.

The board had airlifted 2,100 pilgrims in five flights, it was learnt.

The airlift of the Lagos pilgrims commenced on July 10, 2019 from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

The fifth batch of the pilgrims arrived at the holy land on Tuesday morning, a statement from the state Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board said, adding that the last batch departed the airport at 2.30pm yesterday with 100 pilgrims onboard. All the pilgrims were flown directly to Madinah.

A former Commissioner for Home Affairs in the state and Amir Hajj (head of the state’s delegation for the 2019 Hajj), Dr Abdul Hakeem Abdullateef, said the pilgrims had been undergoing the necessary rites in Madinah.

At the time of filing this report yesterday, Abdullateef confirmed that the fourth batch of pilgrims had already performed the Zyhara (visit to holy sites) in Madinah.

The Amir-ul-Hajj assured families of the pilgrims that their people were safe, healthy and spiritually ready to undergo all the rites of Hajj in the holy land.

“We are doing all we can to ensure the success of this year’s hajj operation and the safe return of our intending pilgrims,” he said in a statement by the board.