No fewer than 19,000 Muslims from different parts of the country have already been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2015 pilgrimage. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has enlisted 76,000 Muslims for the hajj rites this year.
The Director, Public Affairs of the commission, Uba Mana, said in Abuja that the airlift had been hitch free since it began on August 23.
According to Mana, the commission has so far recorded 49 flights of pilgrims mostly from Kaduna, Lagos, Sokoto, Katsina, Oyo, Lagos, Zamfara and Kogi.
The media chief said that most of the pilgrims were airlifted direct to Medina, where they were expected to spend seven days before proceeding to Mecca, while others were transported to Jedda.
“Buses are readily available at Jedda International Airport to transport pilgrims to Medina. Those airlifted to medina on August 23, will move to Mecca on August 29.”
Mana said that the airlift would be concluded on September 15 and that no pilgrim will be left behind. [myad]
