*Photo: Alhaji Hassan (in green face cap) at the meeting on Wednesday in Mecca *
Nigerian pilgrims to this year’s Hajj will start returning home by Friday, July 15.
This was disclosed on Wednesday night by the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan.
He spoke at the Hajj 2022 post-Arafat meeting with stakeholders held at Al-Raqiyyah Hall, Khalidiyyah 3, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Assuring that the homeward airlifting would be “first -in-first-out,” he thanked Allah that this year’s Hajj took place despite many challenges such as the lateness by the Saudi Arabian authorities in spelling out the guidelines, delay in issuance of visa to Nigerian pilgrims, flight cancellations and other associated problems.
Alhaji Hassan said a lot of lessons have been learnt from the 2022 Hajj that would aid better performance in the subsequent exercises.
Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa also speaking at the event congratulated all the pilgrims who were able to perform the 2022 hajj, praying Allah to accept it as acts of ibadat and many more successful hajj.
He said NAHCON did its best despite the mounting challenges that were no fault of its.
On his part, the Chairman , House committee on Pilgrimage, Hon Abubakar Nalaraba said “There is no successful hajj without challenges.”
While urging NAHCON to airlift the pilgrims back home in good time, he assured that his Committee will continue to work closely with the Commission for improved and successful Hajj operations.
