By Matthew Denis
No fewer than 500 Muslim pilgrims from Kwara State who performed this year’s pilgrimage are billed to return home today (Monday).
They were the first batch of Kwara Pilgrims that were airlifted to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage.
The Executive Secretary of Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Tunde Mohammed Jimoh made the disclosure during a telephone chat with Pilot Aviation on Saturday.
He said: “The first flight for our pilgrims is expected to arrive Ilorin International Airport on Monday insha Allah.”
According to him, the return flight operation will be concluded within the week.
He appealed to pilgrims and operators to ensure orderly conduct of the home-bound journeys, adding that Max Airline has proper arrangement for airlifting.
“The pilgrims concluded the hajj rites and are set to return to the state and we on our part are ensuring that they have hitch free return journey back home,” he further said.
Meanwhile, pilgrims from Ekiti and Ondo states are bound to return to the country next week.
The airlifting of pilgrims from the two states that fall under the Ilorin Zone, as designated by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), will follow immediately after the last batch of Kwara pilgrims have been airlifted from the Holy land.
