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The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has disclosed the successful completion of the inbound airlift of Hajj pilgrims ahead of schedule.

NAHCON’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara made the disclosure through a statement stating that, “The final batch of 2024 Hajj pilgrims from Nigeria is scheduled to depart from the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah on the morning of July 16, 2024.”

Usara added that a total of 312 pilgrims from Kwara will be arriving in Ilorin via an Air Peace airline flight, marking the 119th return flight from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.

LEADERSHIP recalls that NAHCON operated a total of 121 flights during the first phase of the Hajj operation which has now been reduced to 119 flights for the return journey.

This reduction was due to the maximum utilisation of seats during the return journeys which is concluded three days ahead of the July 19, 2024 initial schedule.

“The Commission’s chartered airlines took 27 days to transport all pilgrims into the Kingdom during the first phase of the Hajj journey, with the return phase now lasting 25 days. By the 25th day of the outbound flight from Nigeria, a total of 47,171 pilgrims were transported, while 50,091 were able to return to Nigeria within the same span of 25 days in the second phase,” Usara elaborated.

In a closing ceremony at the Hajj Terminal in Jeddah Airport, NAHCON Chairman, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi expressed gratitude to the Almighty for the successful completion of the return journey.

Arabi commended stakeholders for their cooperation and the pilgrims, for their prayers for their leaders at federal and state levels.

“The Chairman urged them to continue praying for the success of their leaders and to maintain their good conduct, describing this year’s Hajj achievements as a promise fulfilled. He promised that the Commission would achieve even greater success next year based on the lessons learned this year.

“The Chairman also assured that preparations for the 2025 Hajj have already begun,” Arabi said.

The Amirul Hajj for Kwara State, Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, expressed gratitude to the NAHCON Chairman for his quick responses to airlift of pilgrims, stating his conviction to thank him publicly and privately.

Senator Oloriegbe, who spoke in Yoruba and English, appreciated the Commission for its timely processing of visas and the convenient stay in Madinah, which lasted not more than four days during the first phase.

Oloriegbe, on behalf of the pilgrims, thanked the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, NAHCON, and other Hajj officials from the states and stakeholders.