National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), advanced team comprising medical personnel, media staff, accommodation officials, feeding and security committee members as well as reception team have arrived in Saudi Arabia.
The team, which departed Nigeria on Sunday, arrived in Saudi Arabia early hours of yesterday in readiness to receive the Nigerian pilgrims who will start embarking on the spiritual journey to the Kingdom Saudi Arabia from Nigeria tomorrow, May 15.
The first batch of 428 Nigerian pilgrims from Kebbi State will depart to Saudi Arabia, boarding FlyNas from the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport (SABIA) in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
According to the 2024 Hajj Airlift update released by Fatima Sanda Usara, assistant director of public affairs, NAHCON, vice president Kashim Shettima, diplomats and members of the Hajj industry will witness the inaugural flight taking off from the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport (SABIA), in Birnin Kebbi with 428 Kebbi State’s pilgrims on board.
The 2024 Hajj Airlift update also revealed that two other flights are scheduled to take-off today, May 15, with pilgrims of Nasarawa and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. while subsequently, two flights would take-off each day in the days following the inaugural flight and to gradually increase to five flights daily.
With about 65,047 Nigerian pilgrims from both public and private sectors expected to perform the 2024 Hajj exercise, the outbound movement to Saudi Arabia will last until June 10, 2024.
