Th e fi rst batch of 412 intending pilgrims from Adamawa state has been airlifted to Medina, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for this year’s hajj. Our correspondent reports that the intending pilgrims who couldn’t leave for Saudi Arabia on August 8, 2017, as earlier scheduled, fi nally left Yola International Airport yesterday at about 5:15am. Information offi cer of the state Muslims Welfare Board, Mustapha Aliyu, said the intending pilgrims were from four local government areas – Mubi North, Mubi South, Gombi and Fufore.
Aliyu said out of the airlifted pilgrims, 289 were men, 124 women, while three were offi cials of the board, adding that another aeroplane with some pilgrims would leave Yola yesterday night as the second batch. However, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Umar Abubakar Bobboi, earlier announced that a total of 2,600 intending pilgrims would perform this year’s exercise. Bobboi said all things being equal, the airlift of the intending pilgrims from the state would be smooth, adding that the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) had informed the state its schedule of movements. On the banned items, he advised intending pilgrims to desist from breaching the laws of Saudi Arabia, warning that it had negative implications to the state and the country.
