The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has set 12 May 2025 as the date for the first flight of intending pilgrims departing for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, announced the schedule during an awareness session for pilgrims in Ilorin on Sunday. He stated that the 2,174 intending pilgrims from Kwara State will be transported in four staggered batches.

"Each flight will consist of 550 pilgrims and will be airlifted in four batches. We are going to have our inaugural flight on the 12th, the second one will be on the 14th, while the third and fourth flights are scheduled for the 16th and 17th of May, respectively."

He said the visas for 2,125 intending pilgrims are ready, while the remaining would be ready by Tuesday.

Mr Abdulsalam also disclosed that vaccination and medical screening for intending pilgrims would be conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday.

He said the intending pilgrims would be airlifted to Saudi Arabia by Max Air directly from the Babatunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin.

The official added that uniforms would be issued to the intending pilgrims by Wednesday, and luggage bags would be presented to them by Friday.

He said the Board had secured accommodations and catering services for the pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

The enlightenment programme was attended by the Amir Hajj (head of pilgrims), the Olupo of Ajase-ipo, Oba Ismail Alebiosu; the Chairman of the Board, Mashood Jimba; and representatives of the Federal Airport Authority (FAN), NAFDAC, NDLEA, Nigerian Customs Service, FOMWAN, among other stakeholders.

The stakeholders urged the intending pilgrims not to travel with any prohibited items and to avoid any acts that could dent the image of Kwara State and Nigeria.

The Grand Khadi of Kwara State, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, guided the intending pilgrims through the practical aspects of the hajj exercise.

He advised them to purify their intentions and commit themselves to all the hajj rites in Saudi Arabia.