All the 2,893 intending pilgrims from Ilorin zone in Kwara State to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj have been airlifted. Out of the total number, 2,509 are from Kwara State, while the remaining 384 are from Ondo State. It was gathered that 78 intending pilgrims from the state could not make it as the state's Pilgrims Welfare Board was unable to secure visas for them.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the take off of the last batch of 283 intending pilgrims yesterday, the Assistant Head of Operations for Hajj and Umrah of Kabo Airline, Alhaji Sanni Abdulazeez, said all those airlifted by the airline arrived at the holy land safely.

He said the initial arrangement was that the airliner will complete the airlift within four days, but that it was extended to14 days. He said the inability of the board to get the intending pilgrims place alongside their muharam caused the delay.

He lamented that pilgrims were not properly enlightened on the kind of items to travel with, saying some of them carried as much as 40kg worth of food items into the aircraft. He maintained that there is need for proper enlightenment for intending pilgrims on the issue of muharam and other things so that they will not default.

On the issue of return journey after Hajj, Sanni said the pilgrims will be brought back based on how they were airlifted. He said the manifest used during the airlift to the holy land will be followed religiously so that no one jumps the queue.

He also called for the recruitment of technocrats and people who are knowledgeable in Arabic and Islamic Religious Knowledge with a view to re-position the pilgrims' welfare board.