Intending Pilgrims from Lagos State will commence departure to Saudi Arabia on Aug. 4 on board Med-view Airline, Alhaji Muftau Okoya, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, has said.
Okoya, who made the announcement on Saturday in Lagos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that two Med-view aircraft would airlift of prospective pilgrims.
“We are commencing airlift of our 2017 intending pilgrims on Aug. 4 with two aircraft conveying 680 pilgrims.
“The first one, a Boeing 747 will airlift 460 pilgrims, while a Boeing 767 will airlift 220 pilgrims,”Okoya said, adding that a total of 1,195 pilgrims would be airlifted from Lagos State.
“The airlift will continue till Aug. 9 until all intending pilgrims from Lagos and Osun states have been airlifted to Saudi Arabia,” he said
The executive secretary said that essential services that would ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage had been put in place by the board.
He said that patronage had been low this year due to lack of sponsorship by the three tiers of government.
He advised intending pilgrims not to carry banned items in their luggage, adding that the state government would not encourage breakdown of laws and orders.
“Prospective pilgrims should remember that they are individually and collectively representing Nigeria and Lagos State in particular and should present themselves as good ambassadors,” Okoya advised.
