NAN-H-15
Pilgrims
Birnin Kebbi, Oct. 5, 2016 (NAN) The Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Board on Wednesday said it had so far transported 2,965 pilgrims back from Saudi-Arabia.
Alhaji Sanni Dododo, the Chairman of its Transport Committee, disclosed this in telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the Holy land.
He said the pilgrims were successfully transported back to Nigeria along with their luggage to avoid cases of missing or unidentified bags.
Dododo said his committee would intensify efforts to ensure timely return of all indigent pilgrims, adding that all the pilgrims were in good health.
He commended the conduct of the pilgrims and the management of Max Airline for sticking to the terms and conditions of the contract.
He said that two pilgrims lost their lives due to protracted ailments even before the beginning of the proper Hajj exercise and were buried in Mecca according to Islamic rites.
Hajiya Maryam Atto, who just returned from the Holy land, commended Kebbi State Government for regular feeding of the pilgrims while in the Holy land.
She also lauded the efforts of the state officials and the media crew for proper handling of the Hajj exercise, adding that “we were accommodated closer to the two Holy mosques in both Mecca and Medina”.
NAN reports that 4,107 intending pilgrims left Nigeria for the 2016 Hajj exercise out of which two who hailed from Maiyama and Augie Local Government areas lost their lives to ailments. (NAN)
BKD/TA
Edited/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi