No fewer than 3,740 intending pilgrims are expected to travel with the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the year 2023 Hajj exercise.
The Executive Secretary of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir said this in Ilorin on Saturday while speaking during the enlightenment programme for all intending pilgrims.
The enlightenment programme which took place at the board office, Islamic village, Adewole Estate, Ilorin, also featured a special prayer for a successful exercise.
The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Solihu was assisted by Imam Imale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulhameen and other religious leaders to lead the prayer session.
The Secretary to the Government of Kwara State, Prof Saba Jubril was represented by the Permanent Secretary General Services, Alhaji Babatunde Abdulsalam, while the Chairman of the Board, Dr Abdulkadir Sambo Sambaki was among the dignitaries at the event.
The Executive Secretary said the number was approved by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
According to.him, the funds from all 3,740 intending pilgrims from Kwara State have been remitted to the Commission.
He said “with 3,740 intending pilgrims approved for Kwara State, the Board was able to accommodate over 200 outstanding intending pilgrims from the last year’s exercise.”
Abdulkadir said the NAHCON has scheduled the 21st of May for the inaugural flight but the Kwara schedule for the airlifting of the pilgrims was yet to be released.
He explained that the vaccination for all intending pilgrims would commence between now and next week.
Abdulkadir said that “the Board would remit intending pilgrims BTA to the Central Bank of Nigeria as each of them is entitled to $800 as BTA.”
While urging all intending pilgrims to be patient with the Board, he assured them that the Board was ready to serve them by taking necessary actions that would ensure a hitch-free exercise.
He said; “We are not here for personal reasons, we are here to serve them and I want to advise that they should be patient and cooperate with us.”
Dr Sambaki for his part, advised intending pilgrims to be law-abiding and conscious of Allah in all their undertakings while in Nigeria and the Holy Land.
“I want to enjoin them to comply with dos and don’ts of the exercise. They should abide by the law of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia Authorities because there is no room for disobedience for all intending pilgrims”, he said.
In his lecture, the Grand Kadi of Kwara State, Justice Abdulateef Kamaldeen, advised all intending pilgrims to prepare for the exercise with fear of God.
The Grand Kadi also enjoined them to cooperate with the board members and avoid any acts that could disrupt the exercise while in Nigeria and the Holy Land.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
