NAHCON Assures Nigerian Intending Pilgrims: No one will be left behind in 2023 Hajj
With just 12 days remaining until the closure of Saudi Arabia airspace for the 2023 Hajj operations, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has reassured Nigerian intending pilgrims that no one will be left behind in the country.
The chairman of the commission, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, provided this assurance in Abuja during a press briefing on the progress of the airlift operations.
Hassan, represented by Prince Suleiman Momoh, the commissioner in charge of planning, research, statistics, information, and library services, stated that the commission has processed 73,310 visas out of the 75,000 slots allocated to the states for the 2023 Hajj exercise.
He further reported that out of the 73,310 secured visas, 48,597 pilgrims have already been transported to the Holy Land as of Wednesday, June 14.
Despite the encountered challenges, including mechanical issues that can occur unexpectedly, the commission remains proactive in preventing and resolving such situations.
Hassan assured that the commission is exploring the possibility of deploying additional resources through rescue missions to ensure that every registered pilgrim can participate in the spiritual Hajj exercise. The goal is to avoid leaving anyone behind by the end of the day.
For the first time, Nigeria has successfully filled all the slots allotted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as there was a backlog of pilgrims unable to participate in the exercise for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NAHCON boss expressed determination to ensure that all registered Nigerian prospective pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia before the commencement of the 2023 Hajj rite within the remaining two weeks.
Saudi Arabia has restored 95,000 Hajj slots to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for the 2023 Hajj, with 75,000 allocated to the states and armed forces, and 20,000 distributed to independent private tour operators.
Meanwhile, out of the 48,597 Nigerian pilgrims already transported to the Holy Land for this year’s Hajj, 35,178 have moved to Makkah for the next phase of their pilgrimage, while the remainder is still in Madinah, performing the initial phase of the spiritual exercise.