Ogun airlifts 1,147 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia

At least 1,147 Ogun State pilgrims have been airlifted back to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia after performing the Hajj rites in 2023.

Tajudeen Asaye, the chairman of the State 2023 Ad-hoc Committee of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in Ogun, revealed this on Monday.

According to him, the committee took 1,238 pilgrims from Ogun for Hajj this year, and the 1,147 who have returned so far have been airlifted in three batches from Saudi Arabia.

He informed that the pilgrims landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and have since joined their family members in Nigeria.

The ad hoc chairman stated: “The total number of Ogun pilgrims was 1238. One pilgrim was deported, and 1237 performed the Hajj rites.

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“As of now, 1,147 pilgrims are presently in Nigeria, but 90 pilgrims, inclusive of Amir-l-Hajj, the chairman and some members of the Ad-hoc Board Committee, the executive secretary, and the carrier officers of the Ogun State Pilgrims Welfare Board, are still in Mecca.”