The Kwara State Government, North Central Nigeria, has dispelled the claim made by the State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that pilgrims from the State who participated in the recently concluded Hajj exercise are stranded in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to Voice of Nigeria, in a telephone interview, the Executive Secretary of the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, Abdulsalam abdulkadir, who is also in this year’s pilgrimage noted that the pilgrims are right on schedule.
He said,“We are not stranded, it turns by turn, States that came to Saudi before us would have to be airlifted first before us according to the schedule.”
Abdulkadir added that pilgrims now have a singular exit point from the Country which is at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah unlike when they were coming in from both Medina and Jeddah Airports.
“Unlike when we are coming into Saudi, where airlines were given enough slots to come into Saudi ( i.e., Medina and Jeddah), now it’s not like that. Mostly, they have a slot per day, and the slot is even from Jeddah.”
Similarly, according to the Governor’s spokesperson, Rafiu Ajakaye who said he spoke with the head of Kwara contingents at this year’s pilgrimage, Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Traditional Ruler Ismail Yahya Alebiosu described PDP’s claim as laughable.
“I spoke with Ameerul Hajj and Olupo of Ajase-Ipo HRM Oba Ismail Yahya Alebiosu and the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Board. They both had a good laugh at the statement of the PDP because there is nothing as such.”
He further noted that, “Kwara has some 2,204 pilgrims this year, one of the biggest contingents from Nigeria. These pilgrims are scheduled to depart Saudi in four batches as follows: June 21st, 23rd, 25th, and 27th. This schedule was not designed by the Kwara State Government; it was designed by all the stakeholders: NAHCON, airlines, and the pilgrims’ board.
“Many states of the federation still have pilgrims in the holy land. Nigeria has some 41,000 pilgrims this year; of these, only 6,951 are back, according to NAHCON figures this afternoon.”
He, however, noted that the pilgrims from Kwara State have been scheduled to return back to the Country starting from Saturday 21st of June, he said, “Our return flight is going to start on the 21st, in fact our flight schedule is out as follows ;21st, 23rd, 25th and 26th or 27th in shaa Allah.”
The Kwara PDP in a recent statement signed by its publicity secretary Olusegun Olusola Adewara alleged that the Kwara State contingents have remained stranded in the Holy Land, several days after completing their Hajj rites.
They also described the said situation as an international embarrassment.