2019 Hajj: NAHCON concludes airlift of pilgrims

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON has completed the airlift of pilgrims for this year’s holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Chairman of the commission, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad disclosed this in a statement issued last night by the Head of Public Affairs, Hajia Fatima Sanda Usara.

The airlift operations, according to the statement, spanned 93 flights that conveyed 44, 450 pilgrims from State Pilgrims’ Welfare

Boards/Commissions and Agencies.

“The last Flynas aircraft that departed Abuja this morning of 6th August transported 301 pilgrims left behind from various states of the federation”, it stated.

Consequently, the statement further disclosed that NAHCON officials would depart the country for Saudi Arabia yesterday, having certified that no pilgrim is left behind.

The commission chairman, therefore, commended all the 2019 air carriers “for joining hands and working round the clock to beat the deadline despite some hurdles encountered through the airlift exercise”.

Muhammad also lauded the state pilgrims’ welfare boards for their teamwork and tireless efforts geared towards success of the operation, as well asthe pilgrims and all other Hajj stakeholders for making the outbound movement a success.

He, however urged them to deploy similar sense of teamwork for the success of the entire 2019 Hajj exercise.