•Hajj pilgrims
Lagos has commenced airlifting of its intending pilgrims for the Y2025 Holy pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 388 pilgrims on board the inaugural flight.
The intending pilgrims numbering 388, comprising 167 males and 221 females, left the Pilgrims and Cargo Terminal, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on board a FLYNAS Airline Airbus A330-300 with registration number XY8410 at exactly 5.42 pm Nigerian time yesterday, Monday, May 12, 2025, reports Nigerian Tribune.
The State Commissioner for Home Affairs/Amirir-ul-Hajj, Ibrahim Layode; the National Commissioner for Operations, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi; members of Y2025 Hajj Central Working Committee (CWC) were among the government functionaries present at the airport to bid farewell to the intending pilgrims.
The Amirir-ul-Hajj, while speaking with newsmen at the tarmac, urged the intending pilgrims to prioritize their spiritual growth by being focused, saying that they should perform all the Hajj rites as prescribed by the Holy Prophet.
Layode stressed that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat was very passionate about their well-being and comfort, hence, the series of largesse and free medical screening exercise organized for them in 10 different locations across the state with the aim of ensuring that they were medically fit for the sacred journey.
The Amirir-ul-Hajj further urged them to be good Ambassadors of the state by obeying the rules and regulations of Saudi Arabia, saying that they should conduct themselves as responsive citizens of the state and Nigeria in general throughout their stay in the Kingdom.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Operations, NAHCON, Prince Elegushi, congratulated the intending pilgrims for being counted amongst those Allah had chosen for the spiritual exercise.
He assured that NAHCON, in collaboration with the States’ Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and other stakeholders, was working very hard to ensure that this year’s Hajj surpasses that of last year.
The Board Secretary, Mr. AbdulHakeem Ajomagberin, in his remark, enjoined the pilgrims to shun any act that could tarnish the image of the state and Nigeria in general, urging them to be law-abiding and shun prohibited items.
He emphasised that the airlifting exercise would continue today, Tuesday, May 13, as scheduled by NAHCON, adding that there would be a break on Wednesday, May 14, while the exercise would continue on Thursday, May 14, till Saturday, May 17, 2025, which is the last flight of the state.
