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.

Grillo     Abdul-Rahoof Bello     Bolaji Gambari     Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla     Salihu Yahaya     IHS     Ladi Hassan     Code Of Conduct Tribunal     Mubarak Oladosu     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Photo News     Maigida     Ilesha-Baruba     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Oba-Solagberu     Ajase-Ipo     T And K FOODS     Face Masks     Abiodun Abdulkareem     Adeleke Ogungbe     UNILORIN Alumni     Ishaq Oloyede     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     Adekunle David Dunmade     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Isau     Abdulwaheed Musa     Ilorin Curfew     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Daud Adeshola     Magaji Are     Ilorin Like-Minds     Bankole Omishore     Government High School (GHS), Adeta     Binta Sulyman     Aliyu Muyideen     Trader Moni     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Cassava Growers\' Association     Fulani     Arinola Lawal     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Kamoru Kadiri     Kishira     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     Kola Olota     Abdulkadir Orire     Seni Saraki     Yomi Adeboye     Eghe Igbinehin     Suleman Abubakar     M.Y. Abdulrahaman     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Oke-Kura     Charles Ibitoye     Abdulquawiy Olododo     Dasuki Belgore     Orire     Waheed Ibrahim     Muftau Akanbi Oke     Donatus Ejidike     Yunus Oniboki     Sulaiman Gado     Congress For National Consensus     Oko-Olowo     Chemiroy Nigeria Limited     Oloje     Umar Ayinla Saro     TIC     Lai Mohammed     2023 Elections     Akanji     Fola Consultant    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Playing Host     Dauda Adesola     Lanre Badmas     Raji AbdulRasaq     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     Hijab     Kwara State Fire Service     Bibire Ajape     International Vocational Centre     Mustapha Akanbi     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Yekeen Alabi     Risikat Lawal     Elerinjare-Ibobo     Adaramaja     General Hospital, Offa     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Assayomo     Minimum Wage     Abdulkareem Alabi     Malete     Wahab Egbewole     Olayinka Oladapo Jogunola     Neo Mundo Ltd     Chikanda     Ajuloopin     Azeez Salawu     Kwara Apc     IESA     AbdulHakeem Ajibola Akanbi     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Alao Ayotunde     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     Hassanat Bello     Kamaldeen Kehinde     Millennium Development Goals     Charcoal     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Senate     Funmilayo Oniwa     Zulkifli Ibraheem     Dagbalodo     Face Masks     Saliu Shola Taofeek     Sodiya     David Adesina     Kwara State Polytechnic     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Siraj Oyewale     Bukola Ajikobi     Cornelius Fawenu     Council Of The Wise     FERMA     Aliyu Umar     Salihu Ajibola Ajia     Adesoye College     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Mutawali     Orisun Igbomina     Veterinary Teaching Hospital     Government High School Adeta     Mohammed Halidu     Voices Of Tomorrow     Al-Hikmah University     Oko-Erin     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Tinubu     Admiralty Villa     Tafida Of Kaiama     Paul Odama     Laolu Saraki     Okasanmi Ajayi     Taofeeq Olateju     Post-utme     Ariyo     Akanbi-Oke     Al-Adaby