JUST IN: Over 18000 Nigerian pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia for 2024 Hajj

By Group 6

No fewer than 18,906 Nigerian pilgrims have been airlifted for the 2024/1445 Holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) confirmed this in an update issued on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

According to the update, the airlifting of the 18,906 pilgrims had taken place in 45 flights.

“Today, Air Peace flight APK7920 departed from Lagos to Madinah at 11:45hrs, carrying 298 pilgrims from Edo State. The group consists of 162 males and 136 females.

“This flight marks a significant milestone in the ongoing pilgrimage airlift operations. To date, a total of 18,906 pilgrims have been transported across 45 flights,” the update reads.

The first flight to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2024 Hajj exercise left on May 16, from Kebbi State.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission says the Commission has reviewed the cost of fares for the 2024 Easter pilgrimage to N4.989 million per pilgrim 

The NCPC boss disclosed this in an exclusive phone interview with our correspondent on Friday, noting however that there was yet no official date for the commencement of airlift of pilgrims to the Holy Lands of Israel and Jordan.

Recall that in January the NCPC announced a fare price of N3m for each pilgrim.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Celestine Toruka, in December 2023, the commission stated that the cost would cover “return flight, hotel accommodation, three-course meal per day, and tours of holy sites in both Rome and Greece in Executive luxurious buses for six nights and seven days”.

However speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Adegbite said the commission had agreed a new fare price with the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and the amount will be officially announced soon.

“The price is N4.989m. We just agreed on that now, but we will announce it soon. We have communicated with the States, so they know already. As for the commencement of the pilgrimage itself, there is no official date yet”, he said.