• Nigeria airlifts 82% pilgrims in 3 weeks
• We’re proud to serve two Holy Mosques, pilgrims: Saudi’s King Salman
Nearly one million pilgrims from across the world including Nigeria have arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, Muslim News Nigeria can authoritatively confirm.
By the end of Sunday, a total of 935,966 Hajj pilgrims arrived through all the Kingdom’s air, land and sea ports, according to the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat).
The directorate revealed that the overwhelming majority of pilgrims, including Nigerians, came by air and their number reached 896,287, while the number of pilgrims arrived via land entry points stood at 37,280 pilgrims, and 2,399 pilgrims came via sea ports, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The directorate said that it is harnessing all its capabilities to facilitate the entry procedures for the guests of God, by supporting its online platforms at international air, land and sea ports with the latest technical devices operated by qualified Saudis who are proficient in different languages spoken by the pilgrims.
In another development, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chaired the virtual session of the Council of Ministers held on Tuesday.
At the outset of the session, the King was reassured that preparations and arrangements for this year’s Hajj season are complete.
He was briefed on the efforts, capabilities, and projects carried out by various government agencies to enhance the comfort and well-being of pilgrims.
King Salman expressed the pride of Saudi Arabia, its leadership and people in serving the Two Holy Mosques and visitors to the holy mosques.
He prayed to God Almighty to enable the pilgrims to perform their Hajj rituals successfully, and to accept their prayers and good deeds.
Meanwhile, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has airlifted no fewer than 41,882 of the 51,000 pilgrims of the state pilgrims welfare boards in 99 flights barely three weeks after the commencement of the Hajj 2024 Hajj operation.
The figure without including the 13,000 Nigerian pilgrims embarking on the spiritual journey under private tour operators, represents 82%.
The outward airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia began on Wednesday, May 15 and will last until June 10 or hopefully earlier as pilgrims travel in groups of 45 under Saudi Arabia’s guidelines.
Over two million Muslims from around the world are expected to converge on Islam’s holiest city of Makkah and its nearby sites in Saudi Arabia to perform the (Hajj) pilgrimage, which commences from the evening of Friday, June 14 till the evening of Wednesday, June 19.
The timing is contingent upon the sighting of the moon of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.
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