OSBC Osun State Broadcasting Corporation
The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, has assured that no registered pilgrim for 2022 Hajj will be left in Nigeria at the end of deadline for airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The NAHCON Chief Executive Officer gave the assurance at a news briefing on the update of the ongoing 2022 Hajj operation in Abuja.
He said that the commission would complete the transportation of majority of pilgrims on Sunday, and finalise it by the following day, in the event of any left over.
Alhaji Hassan who disclosed that the commission contracted three airlines, Max Air, Azman Air and Flynas, a Saudi Arabia designated Airline for the exercise however regretted that most states were actually not fully prepared probably because of shortness of the notice, so the flights were fluctuating.
The NAHCON boss hinted that the commission had transported more than 22,000 Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia as at Wednesday, expressing hope that the airlift will be concluded before the deadline set by Saudi authorities.
He stressed that in the event there are few ones who are just getting ready, the totality of Nigerian pilgrims will be in Saudi Arabia by Monday
Alhaji Hassan described this year’s Hajj as an emergency one in the sense that it took Saudi Arabia unlike the previous times, to give a short notice to start preparations.
It would be recalled that, no fewer than 43,000 Nigerian pilgrims registered through 36 states, to participate in this year holy pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
