The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has revealed that a total of 13,733 Nigerian pilgrims have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia to perform the 2024 pilgrimage.
NAHCON coordinator in Madinah, Alhaji Ibrahim Mahmoud, who made the revelation, said that the pilgrims have arrived in Madinah as at Thursday night following the inaugural flight for this year’s Hajj exercise on May 20 in Birnin-Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital.
Mahmoud however said only 7,598 out of the pilgrims have been moved to Makkah.
The coordinator, who said all pilgrims would first come to Madinah irrespective of where they landed in Saudi Arabia, added that each one of them would spend four days in Madinah before moving to Makkah as per the new policy of NAHCON.
“Some of the pilgrims would come directly to Madinah, while some would land in Jeddah and from Jeddah they would come to Madinah.
“None of our pilgrims went straight to Makkah, they came to Madinah so far before going to Makkah,” he stressed.
He attributed the success recorded so far in this year’s Hajj operations to the cooperation being enjoyed from the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Nigerian pilgrims.
Mahmoud, who disclosed this to journalists covering the Hajj exercise in Madinah, reiterated the commitment of the commission to surpass the record of achievements of the past boards after the 2024 holy pilgrimage.
He said: “We have been doing our best. We have also got cooperation from the Saudi authorities and so far we are also getting cooperation from the pilgrims. That is what is making our work very simple.
“As the Madinah Coordinator, what we want to achieve at the end is a successful Hajj operation.”
He, however, advised the pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Nigeria by being law abiding, and to remember the purpose for which they were in the holy land.
Specifically, Mahmoud urged them to be focused and avoid any act that could tarnish the image of Nigeria as representatives of the country in Saudi Arabia.
“So far, I have not got any report that Nigerian pilgrims are involved in anything that can damage the image of Nigeria,” he enthused.
Commenting on the welfare of the pilgrims, the coordinator assured that all of them would enjoy the same services, stressing that “what the first batch got, the second batch will get if not more.”