NAHCON concludes airlift of pilgrims to S/Arabia

By Nuruddeen M. Abdallah in Makkah, Saudi Arabia & Abdullateef Salau, Abuja

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Friday concluded the airlift of intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2018 hajj.

The pilgrims, including those of private tour operators and NAHCON officials, were airlifted from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen, the NAHCON commissioner of operations, Abdullahi Modibbo, said state pilgrims welfare boards registered about 40,000 people, while close to 19,000 registered through private tour operators.

Modibbo, however, said the late conclusion of the airlift was due to late registration by intending pilgrims, stressing that NAHCON had been making efforts to ensure timely airlift.

“Pilgrims did not turn out for registration in good time. If they had turned out in good time, everything would have been done much earlier than now,’’ he said.

According to him, each hajj operation has its own peculiarity as a result of the dynamics in the industry. The dynamics, he said, dictate things from time to time.

“We sent out teams to meet with the state officials and other stakeholders that we want to do things in good time, but people kept pleading for extension,’’ he said.

The commission, he said, has been desirous of ensuring that everyone that has actually registered is also airlifted.

“We have found it necessary to make a request for extension, which the authorities in Saudi Arabia graciously honoured,’’ the NAHCON official said.