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.

Ekweremadu     Doyin Group     Ilorin Emirate Staff Association     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Earlyon Technologies     Col. Adedipe     20 Billion Bond     Shettima Of Ilorin     VADA     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Rotimi Oyedepo     Durosinlohun Kawu     Mufti Of Ilorin     Harrison Osauwagboe     Aremu Odolaye     Kehinde Boyede     Yomi Ogunsola     Paul Olawoore     M.Y. Abdulrahaman     SSA Youth Engagement     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     Kayode Alabi     Folashade Omoniyi     Aisha Buhari     Oloriegbe     Kwara 2019     Bayo Onimago     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Adedipe     Sarafadeen Kayode Akorede     Sheriff Olanrewaju     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Issa Oloruntogun     Razaq Atunwa     Zulu Gambari     Yusuf Aiyedun     Mahee Abdulkadir     Ilorin     Osi     Kayode Laro     Yakubu Danladi     08001000100     Senate President     Yakub Ali-Agan     Yeketi     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Quareeb Islamic Association     Toyin Sanusi     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Umar Yakubu Jaja     Cassava Growers\' Association     Oke-Kura     Oke-Ode     Senate     Dankaka     Neo Mundo Ltd     Femi Oladiji     Lanre Badmas     Okala Baba     Vasolar Consortium     John Obuh     NIRSAL     Ndama Al-hassan     Omar Bolaji Gambari     IDPU     Magaji Nda     Kayode Ogunlowo     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Obasanjo     Cornelius Fawenu     NULGE     Abraysports FC     Sunday Otokiti     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Saliu Ajia     MalHub     Amos Sayo    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Bello Bature     Muazam Nayaya     Muhammed Akanbi     20 Billion Bond     Oye Tinuoye     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Lateef Ademola Olatunji     Balogun-Ojomu     EndSARS     Ibrahim Abduquadri Abikan     Apaola     Abubakar Lah     Yusuf Olaolu Ali     Abdulwaheed Musa     Durosinlohun Kawu     Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja     Aminat Ahmed     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa     Jumoke F. Ajao     Oko-Erin     ENetSuD     Saadu Yusuf     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Abubakar Ndakene     Oyin-Zubair     Gbenga Adebayo     Abdulwahab Ololele     Clara Nwachukwu     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Lateef Fagbemi     Oke Sunna     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Maimunat Oloriegbe     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Aisha Buhari     Elections     Aishat Mohammed Lawal     Alabe     Kolawole Akande     Vishvas KOZ Tractors     Abdulganiyu Salahudeen     Pilgrims Board     Kawu Baraje     Babaita     Tunde Idiagbon Road     Ijakadi     Ajeigbe     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Kwara North     Tafida     Durbar Festival     Arca Santa     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Jelili Yusuf     UITH     Ahmed Alhasssan     Niyi Ogundiran     Salman Jawondo     Aso Ofi     TETFUND     Kwara State Football Association     Oko Erin     Sa\'adu Gambari     Kwara Metro Park     Yusuf Abubakar     Maryam A. Garuba     Idofin     Bayo Lawal     Baruten     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Third Estate     Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Oloriegbe     Ilorin Innovation Hub