The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has announced that it has successfully obtained visas for the remaining 1,953 pilgrims who will be traveling to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage under the Board’s supervision. Alh Abdulkadir AbdulSalam, the executive secretary of the Board, revealed this during an interview in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, on Sunday.
AbdulSalam further disclosed that 1,597 pilgrims from the state have already been airlifted and are currently in Makkah, performing the Hajj rituals, while the remaining 1,953 are awaiting their turn for airlifting.
He also mentioned that 24 of the remaining pilgrims joined the contingents from Ekiti State earlier on Sunday to continue their journey to Saudi Arabia. The executive secretary informed that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has made arrangements to allocate airlines that have completed the transportation of their designated pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, to other states experiencing flight delays or issues for efficient transportation.
He urged the remaining pilgrims from Kwara State to remain patient and calm, assuring them that they will all be airlifted before the deadline set by the Saudi Arabian Government for Nigerian pilgrims.
AbdulSalam also shared that the intending pilgrims from Kwara State are in good health and spirits, and are successfully carrying out their religious obligations in the holy land.