The Jigawa state Pilgrims Board Thursday said it remitted the sum of over N4 billion to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) being payment for 1, 6 25 intending pilgrims from the state for this year’s hajj rites.
The executive secretary of the board, Alhaji Ahmad Umar Labbo, in an interview in his in office in Dutse, stated that the federal government has allocated a total of 1,625 hajj seats to Jigawa state for the 2023 hajj operation.
He said the first batch of the intending pilgrims from the state are expected to begin flight to the Holly land on Sunday May 27 , 2023 according to the schedule but subject to change, adding that Azman Air is the air carrier that will airlift the Jigawa state contingent.
He stated further that passports of intending pilgrims were in the portal of the Nigeria Immigration Service, adding that printing of the passports has begun in earnest.
He said the pilgrims of the first flight will soon commence receiving vaccination, adding that hand luggage had been distributed to the intending pilgrims.
He said the board has engaged relevant stakeholders such as Immigration, NDLEA, Customs, Police and health workers as well as Islamic clerics to enlighten and sensitise the pilgrims about the dangers of carrying narcotics or anything prohibited by the Saudi authorities.
He said seminars and workshops have been conducted for the intending pilgrims where they were shown the practical aspect of the hajj exercise.
He urged pilgrims to memorise what they were taught during the seminars, adding that their local governments were to remind them on what they have learnt so that when they go to Holly Land, they have clean and acceptable hajj rites.
With regards to accommodation at both Mecca and Medina, decent places close to the Holy Mosques were secured, adding that they are free to contact clerics on what they did not know for more explanation.
The executive secretary warned the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Jigawa state and Nigeria as a whole. He urged them to desist from committing any act capable of putting them in jeopardy and repealing the benefits of the pilgrimage.