By Abdullahi Yusuf
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria(NAHCON) says it has so far transported 36,297 pilgrims back to the country after a successful Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The figure is out of 41,668 faithful, representing over over 86 percent of the total number of pilgrims that have been successfully airlifted safely to Nigeria.
The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, who disclosed this, said the exercise was conducted in 88 return flights.
“Umza flight UY3540, which departed Jeddah to Kaduna @ 01:46hrs with 476 Kaduna Pilgrims and 8 Officials, make the Total Airlift = 36,297.Total Flights = 88,” Usman said.
He said with the pace at which the airlifts are being conducted,the commission would soon complete the transportation of all the remaining pilgrims from the Holy Land.
One of the pilgrims in Kano who returned from the Holy Land, Alhaji Abba Sani Musa, commended NAHCON for the successful conduct of the exercise, noting that this was the first time he performed the Hajj without any hitches or doubts over his scheduled returns.
“I must commend the leadership of the Hajj Commission for taking good care of us in Saudi Arabia both in welfare, medicare, transportation and even our stay in Medina was exceptional,” he said.
Another pilgrim, Alhaji Tijjani Nasamu, observed that NAHCON’S conduct of the 2025 Hajj operation was a departure from the manner the exercise was handled in the past
Nasamu said that in the past, after the Hajj, pilgrims were usually left to fend for themselves.
“While in Saudi Arabia NAHCON officials were always around to solve our prlloblems and this is commendable,” he said.
Earlier the commission had said that the return leg of the airlifts had improved significantly with airlines securing an increase in slot allocations
A statement by the commission’s Assistant Director Information and Publications, Fatima Sanda Usara, said Nigerian carriers had since June 22 been allocated up to seven flights per day at the ratio of 2-2-2-1.
Usara said the general pace of operations had been slower than anticipated due to post Hajj airspace congestion and flight cancellations for various reasons.
She, however, said that despite the increase in slots, the return airlifts may not be concluded by June 28 as earlier projected.
“This may not be possible until Tuesday, 2nd July 2025- approximately six days away, barring any further unforeseen disruptions,” the statement added.