The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board on Sunday, announced the temporary suspension of the airlift to Saudi Arabia.
The Informant247 gathered that the directive came after a report from Medina indicated a surge in the number of pilgrims in the area, saying the exercise would resume on Tuesday.
It also said the Saudi authorities were making efforts to transport the pilgrims from Medina to Mecca to accommodate more pilgrims in Medina.
Jimoh Jumoke, the Press Secretary of the board, in a statement released, said, a total of 1,598 pilgrims have so far been airlifted before the temporary suspension of the exercise.
“Kwara Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board had on May 26, 2023 commenced the airlift of pilgrims with 262 intending pilgrims for the inaugural flight.
“Between May 27th and 28, 2023, 272 pilgrims were airlifted to Saudi Arabia from the state, while another batch of 269 left the state to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between May 28 and 29, 2023,” the statement added.
However, the intending pilgrims have appealed to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the board to urgently address their plight, while expressing dissatisfaction and lamenting the poor arrangement in the airlifting of pilgrims.