By Favour Raphael
The Kwara State Government on Wednesday flagged off the 2026 Hajj exercise with the airlift of the first batch of 374 pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrims departed from the General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin, aboard a Max Air flight, which took off at about 3 p.m., en route Madinah.
The batch also included two officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and one state official.
A total of 1,714 pilgrims from Kwara State are expected to participate in this year’s pilgrimage.
Bidding them farewell, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq urged the pilgrims to conduct themselves responsibly and serve as good ambassadors of both Kwara State and Nigeria.
“Our message to pilgrims this year centres on the need for them to behave as good representatives and ambassadors of Kwara State and Nigeria, and to comply with the laws and regulations of Saudi Arabia,” the governor said.
The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser and Counsellor, Saadu Salaudeen, also urged the pilgrims to pray for peace and stability in the country.
He emphasised the importance of strict compliance with directives from Hajj officials, including the Amirul Hajj, the Etsu Tsaragi, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu, who is leading the state delegation.
“We advise all pilgrims to listen to the directives of the Amirul Hajj and other officials of the Kwara State Pilgrims Board,” he added.
The Amirul Hajj assured that the welfare of the pilgrims would be prioritised in line with government arrangements.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, commended the state government for its support, noting that medical personnel had been deployed to accompany the pilgrims, alongside arrangements for adequate feeding and comfort during the exercise.
The board expressed optimism for a smooth and hitch-free Hajj operation and prayed for the safe return of all pilgrims.
