The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2023 will end on Saturday, June 24, 2023. In a recent press release, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs at NAHCON, Fatima Sanda Usara, stated that the commission had transported over 71,000 pilgrims via 170 flights since the airlift began 27 days ago.
Usara confirmed that Aero Contractors Airline, Max Air and Air Peace have all concluded the conveyance of their allocated pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with Azman airline to complete one more flight. However, FlyNas airline has faced technical difficulties that hindered its movement on a few occasions, and will therefore close the window of outbound airlift for public quota in 2023. As a result, June 23rd and 24th will remain open for landing of Nigerian pilgrims into Saudi Arabia for 2023 Hajj.
The statement noted that FlyNas would conclude the conveyance of pilgrims on the government quota by June 23rd, while Max Air would conclude the conveyance of Private Tour Operators passengers by June 24th. A special flight has been arranged to convey officials, which is set to take off on Friday, June 23rd. The commission has urged all eligible pilgrims with valid travel documents that have not yet been contacted for the journey, to approach the nearest pilgrim welfare agency for confirmation and dispatch to the Kingdom for the 2023 Hajj exercise.
In conclusion, NAHCON has expressed its gratitude to its numerous stakeholders for their efforts in addressing the unforeseen challenges that surfaced during the airlift. The Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Kunle Hassan, congratulated the successful Nigerian pilgrims and urged them to dedicate their time towards attaining the ultimate Hajj Mabrur. He also empathized with bona fide intending pilgrims unable to participate in this year’s Hajj due to unforeseen circumstances, adding that whoever is destined will answer the call at the due time. The commission assures affected pilgrims that their situations will be addressed accordingly.
