The airlift of the 66,000 would be pilgrims from Nigeria commenced yesterday with 540 from Lagos and 285 from Kaduna.
The inaugural flights like the remaining ones are expected to land in Medina instead of Jeddah due to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON’s) resolve to enhance the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims. This came as President Muhammadu Buhari announced the constitution of a five-man Central Coordinating Team headed by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi. Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai who represented President Buhari at the event listed the Emir of Zonga in Kwara State, Dr. Aliyu Yahaya, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, Alhaji Zakariyyahu Babalola and a traditional ruler from Edo State, Alhaji Aliyu K. Danesi, as members of the committee.
The president said the federal government would not sponsor any delegation to this year’s hajj, including the Sanusi committee which he said would be sponsored from the service charges of NAHCON. While advising the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country, Buhari urged them to pray for the country to overcome its numerous challenges. The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Gwandu Alhaji Ilyasu Bashar, Emir Sanusi and Emir of Zazzau Dr. Shehu Idris among other traditional rulers in their messages urged the pilgrims not to act ignorantly but always ask about issues not clear to them. They also urged them to abide by the rules of the host country and avoid acts that could nullify their participation.
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Chairman Abdullahi Muktar Muhammad said six airlines will convey the 66,000 pilgrims to the Holy Land, using 13 aircraft. He said the airlift of pilgrims will be completed before the closure of Jedda Airport in Saudi Arabia on September 17. Alhaji Muhammad said NAHCON had closed its Jedda office. All the officials have moved to Makka and Madina to facilitate a smooth operation. He said there would be no VIP tents. All NAHCON officials will stay with the pilgrims. The chairman said the airlift of pilgrims back to Nigeria will be on the basis of ‘’first in, first out’’. It is expected to end on October 27. He also told the pilgrims not to buy Zamzam water as the commission and the airlines have made provisions for that.
A statement by presidential spokesman Garba Shehu yesterday said the President “has accepted the voluntary offer by the leadership of the Muslim community under the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar II, to carry out an oversight over the Ad-hoc committees of government officials established by NAHCON”. They are to cater for the general welfare of Nigerian pilgrims for the duration of the pilgrimage. The Sultan is represented by a committee of emirs led by the emir of Kano. Shehu said the offer did not contradict the directive by the President that the Federal Government’s delegation for the 2015 Hajj be suspended in line with the cost-saving measures of his administration.
While accepting the voluntary offer of service, the President made it clear that there will be no government funds involved in the mission by the respected emir. He said the government would also not name members into the Emir’s delegation. Buhari promised that all measures had been taken to ensure that the well-being of Nigerians on the holy pilgrimage is well managed by the various ad-hoc committees on medical, accommodation, transport, logistics, information and publicity, aviation and tour operators as well as security that generally assist the Commission in ensuring hitch-free Hajj operations.
The President praised the Emir for adding this responsibility to his own personal Hajj plans.
