2023 Hajj: 31,533 Pilgrims Return, Over 40,000 Still In Saudi Arabia

Date: 2023-07-18

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has so far transported 31, 533 Nigerian pilgrims back home out of 75, 000 that performed 2023 hajj in Saudi Arabia through the commission and states pilgrims' welfare boards.

A total of 95, 000 Nigerians performed this year's Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with 20, 000 of them travelling for the spiritual pilgrimage using private tour operators.

Eight flights conveying 3,172 pilgrims from Sokoto, Niger, Katsina, Ondo, Borno, Kaduna and officials landed in Lagos, Abuja, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Ilorin and Maiduguri respectively yesterday.

According to the flight update from the Command and Control Centre of NAHCON, the flights bring the number of flights that have departed the Holy Land to Nigeria since the commencement of home-bound journey to 81 flights.

This means, no fewer 40, 000 Nigerians out of the 95, 000 that performed the 2023 Hajj rites are still in Saudi Arabia,18 days after the conclusion of the spiritual pilgrimage.

The slow pace of home-bound journey, according to NAHCON in a statement earlier released by its deputy director of information and publication, Alhaji Mousa Ubandanwak, was due to non-availability of slots to the Nigerian licenced carriers in the first week of the second phase of the airlift operation.

Nigerian licenced carriers started in-bound flight to Nigeria optimally July 12 after a high level meeting between NAHCON and the Saudi's General Authority on Civil Aviation (GACA) on the slow pace of the airlift operation.

The outcome of the meeting paved way for five Nigerian licenced airlines -Max Airline, Air Peace, Aero Contractor and Azman, as well as Arik Air which was dedicated to the airlift of private tour operators.

The commission has been disturbed about the situation which it had been battling with since the commencement of the second phase of the airlift operation.

“The GACA had refused to allot slots to the Nigerian airlines to speed up the return of pilgrims back home.

“Several representations and meetings were held. The intervention of the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ambassador Dauda Yahaya Lawal achieved little success until the issue was escalated to the highest level of government before the situation was finally resolved,” the commission said in a statement.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Muhammad Yahya     Sadiq Umar     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Senate     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     Ishaq Oloyede     Babatunde Ajeigbe     Bamidele Aluko     Shehu Adaramaja     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     SSA Youth     Saad Belgore     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     BECE     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Lai Mohammed     Baruba     Kwara Volleyball Association     Peculiar Allowance     Malete     Shola Odetundun     Muazam Nayaya     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     KSIRS     Smart School     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Aisha Ahman-Pategi     SDP     Balogun-Ojomu     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Sidikat Akaje     Olaiya Lawal     Kisra     Bello Bature     Omoniyi     Saka Aleshinloye     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Joseph Yemi Ajayi     Rapheal Ashaolu     Lateef Fagbemi     Rihanat Ajia     Galland Marcias     Omu Aran     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Agbarigidoma     Academic Staff Union Of Universities     Kawu Baraje     Oke-opin     Matthew Babaoye     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Ahmed \'Lateef     Mujtabah Bature     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi     Adesina Simon Sodiya     Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan     Obuh     Sheikh Ariyibi     Danladi     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     Ogbondoroko     Rueben Parejo     Titus Ashaolu     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     Suleiman Ajadi     Hamidu Olowo     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Salihu Yahaya     Overland     Minister     Bayo Lawal     Share/Tsaragi     Odogun Olushola Gabriel     Onilorin     Ubandoma     Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Kulende-UITH     General Hospital     Abiodun Abdulkareem     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Basic Education Certificate Examination     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board     Omotoso Musa     Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao     Pilgrims Board     Olatinwo     Ilorin Anchor Men And Women     Tsaragi     Oyedun Juliana Funke     Gbugbu International Market     Boko Haram     Kanu Agabi     Quareeb Islamic Association     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Third Estate     Kale Ayo     Kwarareports.com     Tuesday Assayomo     Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia     Hassan Oyeleke     Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode     Lola Olabayo     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Law School Scholarship     Kwara Liberation Group     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Y.A. Abdulkareem     UITH     KWATMA     Crystal Corner Shops     Amos Justus Sayo     Ilorin Central Mosque     Edret Sabi Abel     Kwara North     Teachers Specific Allowance     Wahab Egbewole     Rex Olawoye     Asa LGEA School     Muritala Awodun     Folashade Omoniyi     Plat Technologies     First Lady     Solomon Edoja     Local Government Pension Board     Haliru Dantoro     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Ayodele Olaosebikan     Dairo Kunle Paul     Moshood Bakare     Nigeria Customs Service     Ubandoma Of Ilorin     Jalala     Kayode Alabi     All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools     Suleman Abubakar     Idris Garuba     Neo Mundo Ltd     Abdulhakeem Amao     Tunde Oyawoye     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Saad Omo Iya     Orire     Adesoye     Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf     Alliance For Democracy     Ayekale     Abubakar Abdullahi Bata     Seun Bolaji     Yahaya Dumoye     Ilorin Durbar     Olomu Of Omu-Aran