Hajj: Governor Yahaya doles out N43.9m to Gombe pilgrims

Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya has approved the sum of N43, 950, 000 to the 1, 465 pilgrims that performed this year’s Hajj from the state as Sallah gifts.

The governor’s message was delivered by the state Amirul Hajj and Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, when he visited the pilgrims tents yesterday in Mina to wish them Happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

He said the governor had congratulated them for peaceful Sallah celebration and Hajj rituals, and also approved a token of SR300 each, which is equivalent to N30, 000, as Sallah gift.

The emir, accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Sa’adu Hassan and other members of the Amirul Hajj team, added that Governor Yahaya was happy with reports on their good conducts since their arrival in Madinah and Makkah.

Governor Yahaya urged the pilgrims to pray extensively for the state and Nigeria as well as put into practice the spiritual teachings of the Hajj rituals.

The pilgrims from the state have performed the Hajj rituals, which includes; standing at Arafat, symbolic stoning of the devil (Jamarat) for the first and second day.

They will depart to Makkah on Tuesday after the third day of the Jamarat. While in Makkah, the pilgrims will perform Tawaf Wada (farewell circumambulation) of the Holy Kaabah and wait for their flight back to Nigeria.

The return flight of Gombe pilgrims to Nigeria is expected to commence on August 29 with first batch who departed Nigeria on July 20.