2022 Hajj: NAHCON concludes airlift of pilgrims back to Nigeria

Sunday marked the end of the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims returning home from the 2022 Hajj, according to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

On August 7 at around 12:00 pm, an Azman Air carrying 319 pilgrims from Kaduna and Kano, government representatives from several states, and NAHCON departed King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah.

The journey marks the conclusion of Nigeria's Hajj Operations in 2022.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the hajj ritual was performed by about 43,008 pilgrims from Nigeria.

According to her, for over three weeks of the operation, only two flights cancellation were recorded with a maximum delay of six hours.

Usara quoted the chairman of the commission, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan as attributing the success of the return trip to the Almighty.

He thanked the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for his tireless support of the Hajj organisation.

The NAHCON boss acknowledged that there were challenges during the outbound trip from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia resulting from time constraints as well as other unforeseen hiccups such as the IBAN issue that affected some Tour Operators.

“Nonetheless, this has spurred the Commission into taking lessons,” Hassan said.

He stressed that the Commission would commence early planning and would embark on prequalification of airlines sooner than later to allow the carriers to cross any unforeseen hurdles in good time.

He added that the Commission would ensure that any contractual agreement signed is fulfilled as agreed.