Nigeria Completes Transportation of Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia -- Commissioner

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria said on Saturday it had completed the transportation of 95,071 Nigeria pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 115 flights for the 2012 Hajj.

Dr Saleh Okenwa, the Commissioner in charge of Information, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mecca that all the 85,071 regular pilgrims and 10,000 others who travelled through private tour operators, had been transported to the kingdom.

``All Nigerian pilgrims have been transported to Saudi Arabia before the closure of king AbdulAziz International Airport, Jeddah, for this year's Hajj.

``I am confident that all the female pilgrims deported to the country during the early part of the transportation process had returned to the kingdom to perform the Hajj rites with other fellow pilgrims.

``You know that the Federal Government delegation that visited the country had assured those deported that they will perform their pilgrimage except those who decided to postpone it to another year, `` he said.


He also said the death toll of Nigerian pilgrims stood at 14, nine in Medina and five in Mecca.

Okenwa said that the medical team had made adequate preparation for the Hajj rites by complementing the services of the Saudi authorities in Muna.

He assured the pilgrims that the commission would work with the various state pilgrims boards to ensure the success of the operation.

He urged Nigerian pilgrims to abide by the health regulations such as avoiding undue exposure to sunlight and drinking enough water to avoid dehydration