6,710 Muslim pilgrims returned to Nigeria – NAHCON

A total of 6,710 pilgrims from Nigeria have so far returned to Nigeria from Saudia Arabia, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said on Tuesday in Makka.

According NAHCON Control Center, Med-view Flight MEV3331 departed Jeddah to Kaduna at 02:40hrs on Tuesday with 312 Kaduna Pilgrims and two pilgrims from Enugu.

Flight FLYNAS XY7554 departed Jeddah to Lagos at 03:10hrs on Tuesday with 227 Oyo pilgrims, two officials and one other.

Total flights of 23 airlifted the 6,710 pilgrims.

NAHCON also said it planned to source virtually all ingredients for preparing meals for Nigerian pilgrims from Nigeria as from next year.

The Chairman of NAHCON, Abdullah Mukhtar, disclosed this last on Monday night while inspecting some of the 11 kitchens used in preparing meals for Nigerian pilgrims in Makkah.

Muktar said rice, tomatoes, pepper, garlic, onions and other seasoning ingredients would be brought to the holy land from Nigeria to give Nigerian pilgrims the home taste of meals prepared for them.

He said that diabetic, hypertensive and other patients needing specific diets as a result of their health status would be specially considered.

The chairman called for more cooperation between the Saudi based caterers and Nigerian caterers for good meals to be prepared for the pilgrims under hygienic condition and in international best catering practices.

The chairman was accompanied on the tour by NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Personnel, Policy, Management and Finance, Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, and other management staff.