*Photo L-R: Director, Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Olamilekan Alausa; a 2024 Hajj pilgrim and Publisher, Oriwu Sun Newspaper, Alh. Monsur Olowoshago and a Journalist, Mr. Taoreed Abdullahi, during the arrival of the first batch of Lagos State pilgrims at MMI Airport, Ikeja, on Sunday*
No fewer than 188 Lagos State pilgrims that participated in the just concluded 2024 Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have landed in Lagos safely.
The pilgrims which comprises of the elderly ones, those with health issues and the ‘Lagos Internationals’, i.e. pilgrims from USA and Europe, amongst others, were on board a Flynas flight XY 9002 which departed the King AbdulAzeez International Airport, Jeddah at 1.52 pm Saudi Arabian time, touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, at 6.00pm Nigerian time.
The Amir-ul-Hajj and Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, assured the remaining pilgrims that they would be airlifted in accordance with the schedule of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). He added that another batch of 320 pilgrims would be airlifted on Monday, June 24, 2024 hence, there shouldn’t be any anxiety from any body.
Recall that Lagos State airlifted a total of 1,869 pilgrims for the holy pigrimage exercise. Thus, with the arrival of the 188 in the first/special batch, the number of Lagos pilgrims yet to be airlifted is 1,681.
