By Sarah NEGEDU
This is as the Board issued a stern warning against the possession of contraband as well as non-compliance with baggage rules.
Over 400 pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory who performed the 2025 Hajj exercise have returned to Abuja, in the first batch of pilgrims’ return flights, the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has disclosed.
The return flight, conveying 425 pilgrims from Jeddah, touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Saturday, marking the commencement of return operations for the FCT contingent.
Reports from Jeddah Airport revealed that several pilgrims were made to off load prohibited items that were discovered in their hand luggage.
Our correspondent gathered that bottles of water, soft drinks, metal objects, used buckets, and umbrellas found in bags exceeding the 8kg weight limit were confiscated, with some items allegedly strewn across the terminal floor.
Director of the FCT Pilgrims Welfare Board, Malam Kadiri Edah, urged pilgrims still in the Holy Land to strictly comply with all baggage regulations to avoid similar incidents. He also called for more education and sensitisation efforts by the offshore team, noting that repeated violations could jeopardise the overall integrity of the return operations. “We must intensify enlightenment. Obedience to the rules is not optional,” he said.
The board confirmed that a second return flight is scheduled for Monday, June 23, and assured that efforts are ongoing to streamline logistics for a seamless return process in the days ahead.
Meanwhile, Head of Education and Orientation, Muhammad Usman, directed clerics and mission officials to step up sensitisation efforts and issue constant reminders about baggage restrictions and prohibited items.
Some returning pilgrims expressed concerns about the extended stay in Makkah after the completion of core rites, describing the wait as “unnecessary and tiring.” They called for a review of the Hajj return schedule to reduce fatigue and improve overall experience.
