The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says it will commence transportation of 2018 intending pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on July 21.
The Executive Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, made the disclosure at the Final Stakeholders Preparatory Meeting for the 2018 Hajj on Thursday in Abuja.
Muhammad said that the transportation of intending pilgrims would kick-start with Kogi intending pilgrims by MaxAir, a Nigerian charter airline.
“I want to use this medium to inform members of the public that God’s willing, on July 21, 2018, the transportation of intending pilgrims will commence.
“Our target is to commence the transportation of intending pilgrims from Kogi and they will be departing from Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja,“ Muhammad said.
The NAHCON boss said that all the intending pilgrims under the Saudi Arabia Consulate in Kano would process their visa through that consulate.
According to him, the consult general has assured NAHCON that bio-metric will be deployed to some states, including Borno.
He said the commission was yet to finalise discussion with Saudi Embassy in Abuja on the modalities on how intending pilgrims who would process their visa under Abuja would go about it.
Muhammad, however, assured that the arrangement would not be far from that of Kano Consulate.
He said that all medical personnel would operate under one umbrella of the National Medical Team, adding that no state would be allowed to operate a separate medical facility in Saudi Arabia.
At least, 95,000 intending pilgrims from Nigeria are expected to join over two million Muslims from around the world to perform the 2018 Hajj. (NAN)
