By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir, Makkah.
As the return flights of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia begins, Nigeria’s maiden flight Tuesday has Sokoto State contigent with over 400 pilgrims and one official.
The first flight left the King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah, at about 12 noon Nigerian time and 2 o’clock Saudi time to Nigeria with Flynas .
The Sokoto contigent comprises of four 426 pilgrims and one official, is expected to land at the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto around 6pm Nigerian time and 4pm Saudi Arabian time.
Recall the Head of Aviation Unit of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON, Engineer Umar Sanda Goni had hinted during the post Arafat conference, that they would not have full capacity of the airlines due to traffic of the return flights. This he said, was a policy of the Saudi authorities to checkmate anything untoward at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah.
All airlifts out of Saudi Arabia is expected to be concluded on August 4th, 2023. Nigeria had 95,000 pilgrims to the 2023 Hajj exercise with total deaths of six pilgrims as at Tuesday.
