A total of 2,151 pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory have so far been airlifted to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s pilgrimage.
This is as the FCT Administration said it has inaugurated a 7-man committee to ensure the implementation of the administration policies and programmes as they affect the pilgrims operation both onshore and offshore.
Authorities of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board of the FCTA, said it airlifted the seventh flight of pilgrims from the Nnamdi Azikwe international Airport Abuja, to Medinah in Saudi Arabia Thursday evening.
Commenting on the development, the Director of the Board, Abubakar Evuti, commended the FCTA administration for its support towards a hitchfree 2024 Hajj rites by Pilgrims from the territory.
Evuti, who disclosed that the administration has also secure a befitting accommodation in Makkah for the intending pilgrims, added that this singular initiative would enable the intending pilgrims to perform their five daily obligatory prayers at the holy Masjid with ease.
He assured the Pilgrims that experienced and committed officials were mobilized for the operation to ensure optimum service delivery, so that the intending pilgrims attain Hajj Mabrur.
Evuti then warned that the board would not tolerate any act of indiscipline, even as he called on the pilgrims to be good ambassador of Nigeria in their host country by being law abiding throughout their stay at the holy land.
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, while inaugurating the Hajj operation committee, commended the board for their outstanding commitment since we have started.
Accirding to the minister, “Hajj operation is full of several activities. However, I can assure you that we do not have anything that will prevent us from having a successful airlift for our intending pilgrims. So we thank Almighty Allah for His guidance.
“I think we’re going to have a seven-member committee, and it is going to be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister of State of the FCT, Dr. Abdullahi Isah Kauramata,” she stated.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the chairman of the committee and Senior Special Assistant on Administration and Strategy Administration and Strategy, Dr. Abdullahi Isah Kauramata, thanked the FCT Administration for the confidence reposed in the committee.
He emphasised that the confidence will serve as a stimulant for members to deliver on their mandate.
He said, “I want to, on behalf of all of you, inform and assure Her Excellency that the 2024 Hajj operation will be a successful operation for the FCT. We will do all that is necessary to ensure that we deliver on the mandate given to us. I am particularly happy, looking at the caliber of people in the team.”
The Terms of Reference for the committee include the general supervision and coordination of all FCT Hajj activities from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia, until the return of the last flight back to Nigeria. The committee is also expected to provide advice and guidance during the course of the operation; ensure that all the officials, perform their duties optimally, and to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims.
Others ToR include ensuring adherence to all the rules of the 2024 Hajj operations; ensure adherence to all new policies and programmes introduced by the Saudi authorities for the 2024 Hajj, to ensure effective implementation of the administration policies and programmes as they affect the Muslim pilgrims, welfare board 2024 Hajj operation; to submit report to the Ministers with recommendations; and any other activity or any other assignment or any other advice that will contribute to the success of the 2024 Hajj operations.
