Date: 2017-09-07

The inaugural return flight for the 2017 hajj operations has begun.

The airlifting commenced today (Wednesday) via Flynas Airline with pilgrims from the Federal capital Territory FCT, Abuja, comprising 485 pilgrims and eleven officials.

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Barrister Abdullahi Muktar Mohammed disclosed this in Mecca, Saudi Arabia at the 2017 hajj post Arafat meeting with stakeholders on hajj operations.

Barrister Mohammed said the commission would insist on its policy of first to arrive Saudi kingdom for the hajj, and first to be airlifted back home and therefore urged all Nigerian pilgrims to be patient as all of them would be airlifted back home within the stipulated and scheduled time.

Meanwhile , it will be turn of Kwara pilgrims to be airlifted from the 12 th of this month and will end on the 17 th.

The executive secretary of the Kwara state Muslim pilgrims welfare board, Alhaji Tunde Jimoh disclosed this to our staff correspondent, Tunde Akanbi in Mecca,during an exclusive interview .

According to him, the first batch of the state pilgrims comprising 560 would be airlifted by MAX airline while the second batch also comprising 450 pilgrims would be airlifted straight to the Ilorin International airport on the 13th by MEDView airline.

On the 14 th of this month, Medview would again airlift another 560 pilgrims while the remaining pilgrims comprising 765 would be airlifted by the same MedView airline on the 16 th and 17 th of this month respectively.

Meanwhile, the managing director and chief executive officer of MedView airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole while addressing newsmen said his airline has added another aircraft, Boeing 747 to his fleet to ensure a smooth and hitch free outbound operations.

Alhaji Bankole also disclosed that MedView airline had made available zam zam water free of charge to all his pilgrims, which according to him, had been delivered to all state offices of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria( NAHCON) for deliverance to all the pilgrims on arrival at their various destinations, while their luggages would also be delivered to them on return.