The airlifting of Nigerians intending pilgrims for this year’s Holy Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia begins on August 23 and would be flagged off in Kaduna State.
The National Amirul Hajj and Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar said this on Monday in Abuja at the annual National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) stakeholders’ conference.
The Sultan who is the President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) also announced Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the leader of Nigerian delegation to this year’s Hajj exercise.
The Sultan delegated the Shehu of Borno Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar El-Kanemi and Oba of Lagos Alhaji Rilwanu Akiolu in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
He said the appointment of Emir Sanusi was done after consultations of stakeholders.
“Hajj in Nigeria has taken a turn for the better. The tour operators, the airlines and other stakeholders know what to do. So all stakeholders must play their roles as expected to ensure the success of this year hajj,” the Sultan said.
Chairman of the Commission Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Mukhtar promised that all stakeholders would be carried along adding that since two months that the third board was inaugurated, the commission has been relating to the stakeholders to ensure the success of this year’s hajj exercise and of the board.
“The success of hajj exercise cannot be attributed to one person or one agency. It required the cooperation and support of all the stakeholders,” Mukhtar said.
He therefore urged all the stakeholders to sustain their support for the present board as they did to the previous two boards before it.
