By Matthew Denis
The first batch of 560 Kwara intending pilgrims from Ilorin zone for the 2019 hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia were airlifted from Ilorin International Airport yesterday.
Max Air plane which conveyed the pilgrims was airborne at exactly 11:36am at the airport.
The zone comprises of Ekiti, Ondo and Kwara states in line with the arrangement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
It would be recalled that NAHCON had its inaugural flight signaling the commencement of 2019 hajj operations for pilgrims from Nigeria last week.
Speaking to our reporter on Sunday, the Head of Corporate Affairs, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Ilorin, Mr. Adeyeoluwa Oluwakayode disclosed that the screening was conducted smoothly for the intending pilgrims.
He lauded the cooperation of Hajj officials, security agencies like the Air Force, Police, Customs, DSS, Immigration, NDLEA, Civil Defence, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), among others for the hitch free inaugural flight.
Oluwakayode stressed that the pilgrims conducted themselves in a matured manner for the exercise and he urged other batches to behave same way.
He confirmed that a total of 560 pilgrims were airborne at exactly 11:36am on Sunday with Max Air.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary of Kwara State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Tunde Jimoh told this medium that the pilgrims displayed a high sense of discipline during the inaugural flight.
“All necessary arrangements in terms of accommodation and other logistics for pilgrims from the state at the holy land have been concluded,” he added.
Jimoh, noted that all intending pilgrims have completed payment of fare, confirming that 560 intending pilgrims were airlifted for Saudi Arabia on Sunday.”
He tasked the pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Nigeria at the holy land and to observe all the hajj rites as the major purpose of their journey.
Speaking to a cross section of the pilgrims they expressed satisfaction with the conducts of the security agencies at the airport.
