By ABIRHIRE THOMAS
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on Thursday, allayed the fears of pilgrims still on ground against the rumour that their flights to the Holy Land for this year’s Hajj have been cancelled, as deadline for borders closure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is next week.
The rumour going the round in some states was that pilgrims of other countries have arrived the Kingdom while remaining batches in Nigeria yet to be airlifted means they would no longer embark on the religious journey.
But the National Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, who addressed Journalists from media houses, including The DEFENDER, in his office at Hajj House Abuja, dismissed the rumour saying there is nothing like cancellation of Hajj this year.
On its part, NAHCON has airlifted 20,000 pilgrims who are already in Saudi Arabia, and assured that 10,000 pilgrims yet to be airlifted would all be airlifted and that they would arrive the kingdom to beat the deadline before borders closure, next week.
The NAHCON boss assured that all registered Nigerian pilgrims would be airlifted to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj as, according to him, more aircrafts have been injected into the fleet of the airlines contracted by the Commission to airlift pilgrims to the Holy Land by July 4, 2022.
Alhaji Hassan said NAHCON had an already worked out flight schedules that would accommodate every pilgrim going for the holy pilgrimage this year.
He said, “Our pilgrims need not worry because we have made provision for more aircraft with enough space to accommodate and airlift all of them to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by July 4, 2022. These airlines have added to their fleet and this is to make sure that our pilgrims are all airlifted to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s hajj.
“Preparations are in top gear to airlift every registered Nigerian pilgrim to Saudi Arabia by Monday, July 4, 2022. We have worked out flight schedules to accommodate every pilgrim as you know that three airlines; Azman, Max Air (from Nigeria) and Fly Nas (from Saudi) were contracted for pilgrims’ airlift to Saudi Arabia and they all have added more fleet to their aircraft.
“We expect to finish the majority of the flight by the 3rd of this month and in case of any eventuality by the 4th of this month as well. So that’s where we stand. We have now in excess of about 22,000 pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our mandate is to airlift all Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj and that is what we are doing,” he said.
The Commission, according to Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, is not only particular about Board-led pilgrims but also those being handled by private tour operators, saying he had met with those operators on how their pilgrims would be airlifted to the Holy Land.
He said discussions are ongoing with the Saudi government as all avenues within the ambit of the law will be resolved to give the tour operators and their pilgrims a soft landing.
Explains some of the reasons for those yet to leave for the journey, Hassan said: “When the operations started, a lot of our counterparts from the states were not actually fully prepared. Again, maybe because of shortness of notice. So the flights were fluctuating.
“The aircrafts were ready but the pilgrims were not as ready. But in the last few days we have gotten over that and so from our arrangement, we expect to finish majority of the flights by the 3rd of July and to clean up in the event that there are any eventuality by the 4th of July 2022.
“That is how we stand, otherwise, we have now in the Kingdom in excess of about 20,000 Nigerian pilgrims and we are hoping to fly majority of the other pilgrims by the 3rd of July, 2022 and in the event that few ones who are just getting ready, the totality of Nigerians pilgrims will be in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the 4th of July, 2022,” he emphasised.
To be sure that no Nigerian pilgrim is left behind, the Hajj Commission chairman said “I may wait till on the 5th of July to ensure that no Nigerian registered pilgrim will be here in Nigeria and if we see on the 4th of July that there is no such possibility, I will also be in the Kingdom on the 4th of July.
“So far, every other thing has been going on smoothly, and I think we are on good stead to say that really we have come back, after the two years interregnum.
“We have come back to full Hajj operations. We pray and expect that by this time next year we will be able to have the full allocation of about 100,000 pilgrims,” he explained.
