2023 Hajj: 31,533 Pilgrims Return, Over 40,000 Still In Saudi Arabia
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.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Abubakar Abdullahi Bata International Public Sector Accounting Standards Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship Arca Santa Earlyon Technologies Umar Yakubu Jaja Wahab Olasupo Egbewole EndSARS Senate President Minister AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa Abatemi Usman Adamu Jemilat-Baki Omupo Ajibola Ademola Julius Ahmad Ali Overland Yaman Peter Amogbonjaye Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo Sa\'adu Salau Haliru Dantoro Owo Arugbo Idris Amosa Saidu RTEAN KWSIEC Kwara State Fish Farmers Association Saliu Ajibola Ajia Ghali Muhammed Diagnostic Centre Ado Bayero Atiku Abubakar Oba Sulaiman Asude Babs Iwarere Abikan Farouk Salim Kwara State Geographic Information Service Siraj Oyewale Code Of Conduct Sulaiman Gado Temitope Ogunbanke Gbadeyan Gbadura Yomi Nupe Christopher Ayeni Tunji Oyawoye Agboola Abdulraheem Budo Egba Abdulmutalib Shittu Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Emir Of Kano ASKOMP IF-K Waziri Yakubu Gobir Ayodele Shittu Falokun-Oja CCEPE Toyosi Thomas Bilikisu Oniyangi Tunji Ajanaku Hamza Usman Alore Local Government Pension Board Senate Quareeb Islamic Association Idi-Ape Admiralty Villa School Of Nursing Ayoade Akinnibosun Unilorin Christopher Tunji Ayeni Coalition Of Kwara North Groups Olatunde Jare Abubakar Abdulraheem Sebastine Obasi Umar Gunu Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment Vasolar Consortium

