Hajj 2016: Over 9000 Pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia so far

A total of 9,269 Nigerian pilgrims have landed in Saudi Arabia out of the expected figure of 59, 647 visa application acquired so far for this year’s Hajj.

The summary of the airlift of pilgrims as at Friday afternoon showed that airlift operations commenced in seven departure centres – Lagos, Ilorin, Kaduna, Abuja, Sokoto, Birnin-Kebbi and Katsina while kano, Yola, Bauchi, Gombe, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt and Enugu departure centres commenced operation later in on Friday.

Information from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) shows that over 47,000 visas were issued while about 8000 applications were still being awaited.

Meanwhile, reports from Medina indicates that Nigerian pilgrims were lodged in Markaziyah -a highbrow neighborhood closest to the Grand mosque.

Nigerian Pilgrims are usually lodged in hotels far from the Prophet’s Mosque making access to the Mosque for the five daily prayers difficult for aged pilgrims.

The inaugural flight for the 2016 Hajj was flagged off on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambuwwal, at the Sultan Abubakar 111 Airport, Sokoto.

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