By Ibrahim Abdul’ Aziz
Yola
Adamawa state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has said that all its 1,966 all intending pilgrims in the state must undergo medical screening for communicable diseases, especially the Ebola virus, as it also warned intending pilgrims for the 2014 Hajj exercise to comply with the stipulated directive on excess luggage.
Speaking yesterday in Yola, the Public Relations Officer of the board, Mrs Zaliha Hamman Joda Fari, also said the measure was part of safety measures adopted by National Hajj Commission as according to her, the board officials have commenced physical and religious knowledge screening of intending pilgrims.
She said those who lacked Islamic knowledge would not be allowed to attend this year’s Hajj.
Mrs Fari was emphatic that the board would not allow single females and pregnant women attend Hajj in line with the resolve of National Hajj Commission.
She said Adamawa state pilgrims broad was allotted 1,966 slots for the 2014 pilgrimage, attributing it to the ongoing renovation of the central mosques in Mecca.
The spokesperson also said that there was a 20 per cent reduction in intending pilgrims nationwide following an order from the Saudi Arabian authority.
Also cautioned the intending pilgrims against carrying drugs to the Holy Land, saying anyone detected would not be treated lightly by the Saudia Arabian authorities.
The pilgrims’ official admonished those performing the Hajj this year to be cautious, adding: “It is only the medical expert that would prescribe to you (intending pilgrims) which drugs to go with, and such drugs must be duly approved.”
She said pilgrims who carried excess luggage would not be airlifted, explaining that pilgrims were required to carry 32 kilogrammes for main luggage and eight kilogrammes for hand luggage.
Our correspondent reports that various activities of the pilgrimage exercise, including a practical demonstration of some important aspects of the exercise, were being carried-out.
