*Photo: Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, NAHCON Chairman/CEO*
By MIKAIL MUMUNI in Makkah
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON has expressed satisfaction with the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia back to Nigeria after successfully performing this year’s Hajj.
Head of the NAHCON Reception Team at the King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah, Alhaji Muhammad Bakari Gire said over 9, 000 pilgrims have so far been airlifted back to Nigeria since the homeward journey started.
The first flight from Saudi Arabia back to Nigeria for the 2023 Hajj was on 4th July, 2023 through FLYNAS which airlifted 426 Sokoto pilgrims and 1 official.
The latest, which is the 25th flight, also by FLYNAS,
departed Jeddah to Lagos at 11:30hrs ( Saudi time) on Monday, 10th July, 2023 with 380 pilgrims and 7 officials, thus bringing the total number of those so far airlifted to 9,854.
Alhaji Gire stated that so far, there was no delay or hitches in checking-in departing pilgrims back to Nigeria on arrival at the Airport, as it has been NAHCON’s policy that pilgrims would not start moving to the Airport from Makkah until their flight was confirmed.
He also expressed satisfaction with the conduct and behaviour of the pilgrims so far, and their compliance with the eight kilograms hand luggage, except for some few a exceptions.
He is of the opinion that if the remaining pilgrims abided and followed the pattern of their colleagues so far airlifted back home, the return journey would be smooth and successfully completed on schedule.
Alhaji Bakari Gire therefore called on state pilgrims officials to prevail on their pilgrims to abide by all specified regulations that would ensure seamless checking-in and passage at Jeddah Airport.
Below are the flight information supplied by NAHCON since the commencement of the airlift exercise back home:
# 04/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7402 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 13:55hrs with 426 Sokoto Pilgrims and 1 Official.
Total Airlifts = 426
Total Flights = 01
#04/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7740 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 17:57hrs with 387 Osun Pilgrims and 2 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 813
Total Flights = 02
# 04/07/2023, AIRPEACE flight APK7901 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 21:00hrs with 265 Pilgrims and 4 Officials.
Kwara (262), FCT (3)
Total Airlifts = 1,078
Total Flights = 03
#05/07/2023 FLYNAS flight XY7952 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 11:32hrs with 385 Osun Pilgrims and 4 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 1,463
Total Flights = 04
#05/07/2023 FLYNAS flight XY7640 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 13:03hrs with 373 Zamfara Pilgrims
Total Airlifts = 1,836
Total Flights = 05
# 05/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7814 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 15:28hrs with 426 Pilgrims and 1 Official.
Sokoto (425), Zamfara (1)
Total Airlifts = 2,262
Total Flights = 06
# 05/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7602 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 19:51hrs with 382 Ogun Pilgrims and 5 Official.
Total Airlifts = 2,644
Total Flights = 07
#05/07/2023, AZMAN flight ZU2347 departed Jeddah to Jigawa @ 22:25hrs with 400 Jigawa Pilgrims.
Total Airlifts=3,044
Total Flights=08
# 06/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7954 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 12:23hrs with 383 Zamfara Pilgrims and 2 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 3,427
Total Flights = 09
# 06/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7990 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 15:09hrs with 384 Ogun Pilgrims and 1 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 3,811
Total Flights = 10
#07/07/2023 FLYNAS flight XY7606 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 9:23hrs with 386 Pilgrims and 1 official
Sokoto (385), Kebbi (1)
Total Airlifts = 4,197
Total Flights = 11
# 07/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7816 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 12:46hrs with 410 Zamfara Pilgrims.
Total Airlifts = 4,607
Total Flights = 12
# 07/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7648 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 16:00hrs with 370 Pilgrims and 7 Officials.
Osun (367), Borno (2), Ogun (1)
Total Airlifts = 4,977
Total Flights = 13
# 08/07/2023, MAXAIR flight VM2008 departed Jeddah to Bauchi @ 05:29hrs with 523 Plateau Pilgrims and 2 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 5,499
Total Flights = 14
# 08/07/2023 MaxAir flight NGL2040 departed Jeddah to Bauchi via Abuja @ 11:11hrs with 348 Pilgrims and 24 Officials.
Plateau (193), Benue (209)
Total Airlifts= 5,847
Total Flights=15
# 08/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7956 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 11:37hrs with 387 Pilgrims.
Sokoto (383), Borno (4)
Total Airlifts= 6,288
Total Flights=16
# 08/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7650 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 13:39hrs with 385 Ogun Pilgrims and 7 Officials.
Total Airlifts= 6,673
Total Flights=17
# 08/07/2023, FLYNAS flight XY7568 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 14:44hrs with 416 Pilgrims and 12 Officials.
Zamfara (409), Kebbi (6) and Sokoto (1)
Total Airlifts= 7,089
Total Flights=18
# 08/07/2023, AZMAN flight ZU2353 departed Jeddah to Jigawa @ 17:24hrs with 350 Pilgrims and 1 Official.
Jigawa (348), Armed Forces (2)
Total Airlifts= 7,439
Total Flights=19
# 08/07/2023, AERO flight NIG9094 departed Jeddah to Abuja @ 06:09hrs with 472 Nassaraw Pilgrims and 3 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 7,911
Total Flights = 20
# 09/07/2023, FYNAS flight XY7652 departed Jeddah to SOKOTO @ 09:59hrs with 385 Sokoto Pilgrims and 2 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 8,296
Total Flights = 21
# 09/07/2023, FYNAS flight XY7818 departed Jeddah to Lagos @ 11:06hrs with 372 Osun Pilgrims and 7 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 8,667
Total Flights = 22
# 09/07/2023, FYNAS flight XY7612 departed Jeddah to SOKOTO @ 14:53hrs with 423 Zamfara Pilgrims and 5 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 9,090
Total Flights = 23
# 10/07/2023, FYNAS flight XY7820 departed Jeddah to Sokoto @ 05:09hrs with 384 Pilgrims and 1 Official.
Sokoto (382), Borno (1), FCT (1)
Total Airlifts = 9,474
Total Flights = 24
# 10/07/2023, FYNAS flight XY7656 departed Jeddah to LAGOS @ 11:30hrs with 380 Pilgrims and 7 Officials.
Total Airlifts = 9,854
Total Flights = 25
