Nigerian Muslim Pilgrims Will Return tomorrow

Airlift of Nigerian Pilgrims from Saudi Arabia begins tomorrow.
No fewer than 85, 000 Nigerian pilgrims performed this year’s pilgrimage to the islamic holy land.
The pilgrims from Ogun, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory will be the first set to return home.
The airlifting of the pilgrims from today was part of the decisions reached at a meeting between by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and Chairmen of Muslim Pilgrims Boards from the States on Tuesday night in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

This development was confirmed in Saudi Arabia by the Chairman, Benue State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Baba Hammed.
According to the Benue State Chairman of the Muslim Pilgrims Board, “the decision was taken following the early airlifting of the pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia”.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Ganiyu Bankole has lamented the poor transportation arrangement made for some Nigerians from Mina to Arafat last Monday.
The development, it was gathered, almost led to most of the pilgrims missing the Arafat rite, which is the most important aspect of the holy pilgrimage.
Many pilgrims from Nigeria condemned the bus shuttle system introduced by the Saudi Authority.
Majority of the Nigerian pilgrims, who were supposed to move to Arafat by buses on Monday, it was learnt, were stranded for hours while those who could not bear it trekked to Arafat, which is over 20kms from Mina.
The Chairman, Ekiti Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Ganiyu Bankole, described the development as unfortunate, noting with sadness that it subjected pilgrims to hardship.
He, however, called for a review of the system.