The Chairman/ CEO of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Alh. Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, has expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing airlift of Nigerian pilgrims by the carriers across the country.
BizPoint understands that no fewer than 2,547 intending pilgrims from five states had been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for 2023 Hajj so far since inaugural flight on Thursday, making it 61 hours of from the start of the airlift.
The Chairman expressed delight during inspection visit to the Hajj Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikwe, International Airport, Abuja to monitor the airlift operation of the second batch of Nasarawa pilgrims and inspect the Aero Air aircraft deployed for the exercise.
The Chairman who was accompanied on the visit by the Executive Secretary,Nasarawa state pilgrims welfare board, Alh Idris Al-Makura, expressed delight at the pace and the quality of the aircraft deployed for the operation and expressed the hope that the airliners and the state boards would sustain the momentum.
“I am very cool and happy with the way and manner we are going. I’m really satisfied. I pray and hope that we continue in the same way and tempo we started up till the end I pray that we end the operation very well,” the Chairman was quoted as saying in a statement by Mousa Ubandawaki, Deputy Director Information and Publication of NAHCON on Friday.
“I am also particularly very impressed with the quality and standard of the aircraft deployed which has many business class seats. It meant that we can have many business class on board the aircraft.” He added.
It would be recalled that the flagoff/inauguration ceremony of the 2023 Hajj was held on Thursday with the airlift of the first batch of 470 Nasarawa state pilgrims by Max Air to Madina.
Over 1400 pilgrims have so far been airlifted to the Holy land, comprising pilgrims from Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue states. Zamfara and Kwara state pilgrims are expected to be airlifted from Sokoto and Ilorin International airports by Air Peace and Flynas later last night.
