Lagos State airlifts 3,655 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia
Lagos State Government has airlifted 3,655 pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Year 2023 holy pilgrimage exercise.
The arrival of the eleventh and last batch of 171 intending pilgrims which landed at the King AbdulAzeez International Airport, Madinah, on Wednesday, at exactly 7.45pm Saudi Arabian time, brought the first leg of the operation to conclusion.
The batch comprising of 130 males and 41 females which included paid intending pilgrims and state government officials, departed the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, aboard a Flynas airline flight XY5627 at 11.05am Nigerian time.
With the arrival of the eleventh batch, the total number of pilgrims airlifted by the State is now 3,655. The first batch was 390, second 428; third 50; fourth 253; fifth 426 while the sixth flight had 417.
On the seventh flight were 415 pilgrims; eight 375; ninth 356; tenth 181 and the eleventh 171. In summary, the State has 2,023 female pilgrims (55.3 per cent) and 1,632 males (44.7 per cent) respectively in her contingent.
Speaking on the completion of the airlifting exercise, the Head of the State Hajj team, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi expressed his delight and gratitude to Allah for the successes recorded with the first leg of the operation.
He said: “All praises and adorations are due to Almighty Allah for guiding the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board from inception to the conclusion of the exercise.”
