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.

Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     CCT     Ilorin South     Code Of Conduct     Titus Ashaolu     Bola Iyabo Ibiyeye Adisa     Ejidongari     Bello John Olanrewaju     KWASAA     Femi Oladiji     Kazeem Adekanye     Saliu Alamoyo     Budo-Egba     Afetu Of Alabe     Fatai Adeniyi Garba     Shola Odetundun     Adamu Jemilat-Baki     Neo Mundo Ltd     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Sheriff Shagaya     Edu     Mahmud Durosinlohun Atiku     Tope Daramola     S.O. Opowoye     Durbar     Kumbi Titiloye     Yashikira     Mashood Dauda     AGF Abdulrazaq     ITP     KWASEIC     PPS     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Aisha Buhari     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Alaaya     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Madawaki Of Ilorin     KWSUED     Sheikh Alimi     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Galadiman Ngeri     Abdulfatah Ahmed     General Hospital     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     KWSIEC     Tuesday Assayomo     Sabi     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     Yakub Ali-Agan     Mohammed Saidu     Government High School Adeta     John Dara     All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools     Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye     Salami Adekunle     Yusuf Amuda Aluko     Mope Dasuki Belgore     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Erubu     Damilola Yusuf     Ola Falade     Oba Abu     AGILE Programme     Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board     NTA Ilorin     Kayode Laro     Olatunji Moronfoye     Abdulrauf Yusuf     Alaro     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     IDPU     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Saad Omo Iya     Isiaq Khadeejah     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     Elerin Of Erin-Ile     Ilorin Innovation Hub     Women Radio     Innocent Okoye     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Iyiola Oyedepo     IDPU     Mohammed Abduraheem     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Yemi Osinbajo     Reuben Paraje     Kwara United     Jamiu Oyawoye     Michael Nzwekwe     Salihu Alhaji Musa     SGBN     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     Risikat Lawal     Isiaka Rafiu Mope     Abubakar Lah     Afonja     Aliyu Muhammed     Demola Banu     Shola Odetundun     ASMAU PLAZA     Lawyers Unite Against Corruption     Simeon Ajibola     Wale Oladepo     Kanu Agabi     Village Alive Development Association     Fareedah Dankaka     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Oke-Kura     Lithium     Code Of Conduct Bureau     Onikijipa     Issa Manzuma     Ishaq Oloyede     Offorjama     Inside Kwara     Umar Gunu     Elese Of Igbaja     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Idris Garba     Col. Ibrahim Taiwo     Kola Shittu     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Isiaka AbdulRazaq     Ghali Alaaya     Kwara Hotel     Oniye     Moremi High School     GRA     Henry Olaosebikan     Abdulrahman Abdulrazak     Baba-Isale     Ministry Of Women Affairs And Social Development     Awoye     Oja-Oba     Simeon Sayomi     Adebayo Salami     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     Amina El-Imam     Nigeria Computer Society     General Hospital, Ilorin     Tunde Akanbi     Gambari     Mustapha Akanbi     Ajayi Okasanmi     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Medinat Folorunsho Salman     NNPP     Adamu Attah     Umar Saro