HAJJ 2026: 1600 LAGOS PILGRIMS ARRIVE SAFELY FROM MAKKAH
The 1,600 Lagos pilgrims who participated in the just-concluded Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have all arrived safely to join their respective families.
The safe arrival of the last and final batch of 187 pilgrims on Saturday marked the conclusion of the 2026 Hajj operations.
Speaking to journalists at the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, the Amir-ul-Hajj and State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Ibrahim Layode said that the spiritual exercise was a success for Lagos State.
The Commissioner who attributed the success to the exemplary conduct of the pilgrims while in the Holy Land maintained that the State also made adequate arrangements by engaging critical stakeholders ahead of the journey.
"We give all Glory to Almighty God for the successful completion of this year's Hajj journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and I want to say that it was a success achieved through teamwork and consciousness of purpose.
"And despite the deadline given by the Saudi authority for early payment for the process, we started planning, and that makes the operations easier. We took our pilgrims through comprehensive health checks, and we gave them proper orientation and other welfare packages by the state government." Layode said.
The Commissioner appreciated the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Deputy, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat for their good gestures towards the pilgrims, stressing that the support contributed to the feat recorded during the exercise.
In his remark, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters and Chairman, 2026 Hajj Ad-hoc committee, Dr. Abdullahi Jebe stressed that Lagos State has a prepared template to ensure strategic implementation of Hajj operations, and this, according to him, has been the guiding principle in the past years.
He said, "We have the technocrats on the ground, and we have our template of operation which has been assisting us over the years. So, Lagos is not a test-run ground. We already have the manpower to deliver, and we are ready to accommodate over 3,000 pilgrims in the subsequent Hajj exercise. Lagos is known to be excellent, and we have done well this year again, and we are poised to do more in the coming years."
In his assessment of the operation, Jebe highlighted the timelines set by the Saudi authority for the early payment, which initially came as a challenge but was surmounted by the government.
He said, "This year, as you know, we had a small challenge, which was the deadline given by the Saudi authority for visa processing, payments, among others. Initially, it was not conducive because our people are used to late-hour payment. But Governor Sanwo-Olu cushioned the effect for us by giving us a lifeline in order to beat the deadline. So when pilgrims make a payment, they return the money to the government. And for the next Hajj, we are waiting, and I want to assure you that it won't be a problem for Lagos State."
The Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. AbdulHakeem Ajomagberin added that the coordinated efforts towards the 2026 Hajj operation contributed to the great success achieved throughout the period.
He, however, assured of more enlightenment campaigns for the next intending pilgrims, particularly on the idea of early payment.
Some of the pilgrims who spoke with journalists also expressed delight over their experiences with the exercise. They praised the Governor, Deputy Governor, Amir-ul-Hajj, and other government officials for prioritising their welfare throughout the spiritual journey.
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