Date: 2016-08-15

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says about 20,000 Nigerian pilgrims have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for this year's hajj. The commission also assured that with the progress so far recorded, it was confident of completing the airlift before the September 4 deadline set by the Saudi General Authority on Civil Aviation (GACA).

A statement from the commission's media officer, Adamu Hassan Abdullahi, said yesterday that pilgrims airlift from various departure centres in the country was progressing steadily with records of little hitches.

Adamu said the first batch of pilgrims from Zamfara State whose flight was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in Sokoto on August 8 would leave Medina for Makkah after staying the prescribed eight days in the second holiest city. He expressed confidence that the airlift would be completed before the closure of the Saudi airspace with the number of aircraft made available for the operation by the airlines.

The commission also announced that Ilorin Zone which comprises of Kwara, Ondo and Ekiti states with a population of over 2000 pilgrims is expected to conclude its operation today with the airlift of the remaining 454 pilgrims and officials made up of Ekiti 178, Kwara 258 and Ondo 18.

It would be recalled that the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Barr Abdullahi Muhammad Mukhtar, had promised during the flag-off ceremony in Sokoto to ensure the completion of the airlift before the September 4 deadline.