The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, has announced that the airlift of intending pilgrims from the state to Saudi Arabia will commence on May 12, 2025, from the Ilorin International Airport.
Speaking today during an enlightenment programme organized for the intending pilgrims at the Board’s premises in Ilorin, Alhaji Abdulkadir disclosed that vaccination for pilgrims would begin tomorrow, while the distribution of uniforms and travel bags is scheduled for Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
He revealed that Kwara State has secured four flights for the exercise, with each flight carrying 550 pilgrims. A total of 2,174 intending pilgrims are expected to participate in this year’s Hajj from the state. The first batch will depart on May 12, followed by subsequent batches on May 14, May 16, and the final batch on May 17.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Board, Professor Mashood Mahmud-Jimba, urged pilgrims to refrain from using abusive language before, during, and after the Arafat rites to ensure a smooth and successful Hajj.
Delivering a lecture at the event, the Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, advised the pilgrims to perform their religious obligations with a deep sense of devotion and patience while in the Holy Land.
Representatives from key agencies including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) also addressed the pilgrims, urging them to abide by Hajj regulations and to be exemplary ambassadors of Kwara State and Nigeria at large.
The programme concluded with a practical demonstration of the Hajj rites, providing pilgrims with vital guidance on the steps and procedures required during the pilgrimage.
