Visa issuance delays airlift of Lagos pilgrims

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has so far airlifted a total of 2,379 intending pilgrims comprising 994 males and 1,385 females to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Hajj exercise.  The immediate past Hon. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi who is coordinating the exercise disclosed this during the airlift […]

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has so far airlifted a total of 2,379 intending pilgrims comprising 994 males and 1,385 females to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Hajj exercise.

 The immediate past Hon. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi who is coordinating the exercise disclosed this during the airlift of the seventh batch of the state contingent, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, on Tuesday.

 The 7th batch departed Nigeria aboard a Flynas Airline’s plane with 415 intending pilgrims (157 males and 258 females) at exactly 2.49 am Nigerian time.

 Daily Trust reports that the state was allocated 3,644 slots for this year’s spiritual exercise.

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 Elegushi stated that the airlift, which started last week ahead of the initial scheduled date of June 4, had been encouraging so far.

He said the only challenge was the delay being experienced in the issuance of visa by the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Abuja.

 According to him, if the visa issuance had been as fast as expected, the state would have by now moved all the intending pilgrims to the Kingdom.

 e however, added that the Embassy had been contacted to fast-track the processes with a view to ensuring that all the remaining intending pilgrims secured their visas within the shortest period of time to enable them join other Muslims across the world in performing the Hajj rites.