The Plateau Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board says the first batch of 500 intending pilgrims from the state for the 2019 Hajj would be transported on July 31, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Jos, while speaking with newsmen.
Abdullahi said that a total of 1190 intending pilgrims from the state would perform the 2019 Hajj.
He said that adequate arrangements have been made to transport the intending pilgrims in three batches on July 31, Aug. 1 and Aug. 2, to the Holy Land.
“This year alone, we have to be to Mecca three times to confer with service providers for accommodation and the kitchen that will take care of our catering services to make sure that they are in perfect order.
“We also want to ensure that they comply with the standard that is expected for all pilgrims,” he said.
Abdullahi said that the number intending pilgrims for 2019 is higher than the 822 of 2018.
“As a result of the tremendous improvement, intending pilgrims from neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Taraba, Benue and Bauchi have registered with us.
“One incentive is that our fare for this year is one of the cheapest in the country because of the little things that we add in the office to the final fare by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON),” he said.
Abdullahi said that the State Government is sponsoring 630 out of 1190 intending pilgrims, while self-sponsored pilgrims paid N1, 468, 530 each for the exercise.
He disclosed that measures have been taken to ensure that none of the pilgrims absconds in the Holy Land, noting that prominent personalities served as grantors for the pilgrims before been registered.
He further said that adequate sensitisation was carried out to enlighten the pilgrims on the dangers of carrying forbidden materials to the Holy Land.
“We teach them the basic rudiments; the dos and the don’ts, the pros and the cons, we do that very properly so that they will not deviate from them,” he said.
Abdullahi stated that Justice Surajo Ibrahim of the State High Court would lead the state delegation to the Holy Land pilgrims as the Amirul Hajj.
He disclosed that the state’s intending pilgrims would be transported to the Holy Land by Masseur Max Air through the Bauchi International Airport.
He added that the airline, which is reliable and comfortable can convey about 550 pilgrims at a go. THE NEWS
