Arafat Day: Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat pray with Lagos pilgrims, urge orderly conduct
By Adeola Ogunrinde
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Deputy, Kadiri Hamzat, joined the 1,600 Lagos pilgrims performing this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia in a prayer session on the Mount Arafat.
The governor and his deputy, who made separate video calls to the pilgrims congratulated them for reaching Mount Arafat and prayed for a rewarding and accepted Hajj. They also prayed for their safety back to Nigeria and urged them not to take the privilege for granted, describing Hajj as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In their response, the pilgrims expressed appreciation for the calls and prayed for the success of the Sanwo-Olu administration. They also prayed for Hamzat’s victory at the upcoming governorship poll, and for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
In his remarks, the Amir-ul-Hajj and Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ibrahim Layode, thanked the governor and deputy governor for connecting with the pilgrims, stressing that the gesture showed their compassion and commitment to the welfare of the pilgrims.
Layode also commended the pilgrims for their good conduct and explained that the return schedule for Lagos pilgrims will begin on June 6, in line with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria’s timetable, assuring that all pilgrims would be airlifted within a week.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters and Chairman of the 2026 Hajj Ad-hoc Committee, Dr. Abdullahi Jebe, praised the pilgrims for being orderly and law-abiding. He also thanked the governor and his deputy for finding time to call and pray for them, while also commending Saudi authorities for improvements at the Arafah camps, including the provision of more functional air conditioners, additional toilets, and adequate water supply.
On his part, the Board Secretary of the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. AbdulHakeem Ajomagberin, appreciated the State Government for making the Hajj operation seamless and convenient, saying that free medical screening, inoculation, payment for Ihram clothing and Hady ram, and visa processing among other programmes were put in place to make the exercise stress-free for Lagos pilgrims.
