Sixty-six thousand Nigerians will this year perform the 2015 Hajj exercise, using six airlines with 13 aircrafts.
Speaking the inaugural airlift of the intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia at the Kaduna International Airport, President Mohammadu Buhari represented by Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, said government had set up a coordinating committee to supervise 2015 pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
He said the committee, which would be funded by the service charge, which pilgrims paid to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), would be led by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi.
The inaugural flight which was flagged off at the Kaduna International Airport, conveyed 300 pilgrims from Jema’a and Kajuru Local Government Areas.
President Buhari said the Federal Government was committed to the success of the Hajj exercise even though it would not get involved.
It, however, urged the pilgrims to pray for the country, stressing that the country needed all the prayers that it can get, given the challenges it was facing.
Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muktar. Muhammadu, said the commission was committed to a hitch free Hajj operation this year, having introduced a lot of new measures that would ensure its success.
According to the chairman, six airlines would be deployed to convey 66,000 pilgrims to the Holy Land, using 13 aircrafts and it would be completed before the closure of Jedda Airport on September 17.
He said the airlift of pilgrims back to the country would be based on first in, first out, which according to him was instituted by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’id Abubakar and would end on October 27.
He added that there would be no VIP tents during this year’s pilgrimage as all NAHCON officials will stay with all pilgrims in order to know their yearnings and challenges.
