By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday flagged off the maiden flight of the 2022 Hajj exercise, were a total of 43,000 intending Nigerian pilgrims would be airlifted to the Holy Land (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj.
Recalled the Hajj operation was suspended in Nigeria following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Inaugurating the maiden flight for the 2022 Hajj operation at the Maiduguri International Airport, President Buhari said ” I am indeed grateful to Almighty Allah to Flag off the maiden flight of the 2022 Hajj exercise here in Maiduguri “
The president, who was represented by the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, said as a result to COVID-19 pandemic, there was ban on the exercise in 2020, while in 2021 the exercise was restricted to only Saudi citizens but thank God, today we are witnessing the maiden flight for this year’s Hajj operation here in Borno state “
President Buhari charged the intending pilgrims to pray for Nigeria to overcome the security challenges bedeviling the country and to pray for the success of the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
He also urged the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the nation by conducting themselves peacefully and desist from any activity that will tarnish the image of the country by observing the Hajj rules and regulations properly.
The Chairman, Borno State 2022 Hajj Committee, who is also the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur in his remark, disclosed that a total of over 1,300 intending pilgrims from Borno state are expected to be airlifted from Maiduguri International Airport, while the first flight from Maiduguri today Thursday is expected to airlift the first batch of 546 intending pilgrims from Borno state to the Holy Land to perform the 2022 Hajj, who were screened for the inaugural flight “.
The Chairman also appealed to the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the state and Nigeria in general by observing rules anf regulations in the Holy Land”.
In his remark, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikhirulah Hassan said a total of 43,000 intending Nigerian pilgrims are slated to be airlifted from Nigeria to Saudia actions the country for the 2022 Hajj exercise while urging the intending pilgrims to be law abiding and exhibit good character while in the holy land.
He said, “This year exercise is a special one because it is the fist time in two years that the exercise is resuming due to the COVID 19 pandemic “.
His Royal Highness, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai Umar El kanemi in his goodwill message thanked the Federal Government and President Buhari particularly for choosing Borno state to launch the 2022 Hajj operation and for the inaugural airlift of the intending pilgrims from Nigeria.
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