Ibrahim Mohammad, the chairman of Sokodeke Cargo Travels and Tour Ltd., has cautioned Nigerian pilgrims against buying and putting prohibited items in their approved luggage.
Mr Mohammed made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
The chairman, who warned pilgrims against carrying items that wouldn’t scale through screening at the airport, reminded them that hajj was not a trade fair but one of the five pillars of Islam.
He emphasised the need for all hajj stakeholders in Nigeria to redouble efforts on pilgrims education and enlightenment to ensure that they abide by the approved luggage, avoid excess luggage and prohibited items.
“We need to improve because I noticed a lot of challenges arising from weighing of pilgrims luggage. Many of them still buy prohibited items like bicycle and even Zam Zam water and put them in their luggage.
“So, I think some of the organisations that are charged with the responsibilities of educating and enlightening pilgrims need to be up and doing because we all know that the Saudi Arabian Government hardly cuts corners.
“These are some of the issues that will form part of our discussion with critical hajj stakeholders by the time we return to Nigeria,” he said.
He stated that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, gave an approval to Sokodeke Cargo Travels to assist the Nigerian pilgrims to deliver their excess luggage at reasonable cost to Nigeria.
The chairman, who reiterated the commitment of the company to ensure speedy delivery of pilgrims’ items, said some of their customers have started receiving their luggage from this year’s hajj.
“As I speak to you now, I can tell you authoritatively that some of our customers in Nigeria are already receiving their luggage for the past four to five days. It’s a commitment and promise.
“If we get like five tonnes we don’t wait. Some people can go by sea but ours is seven hours per day and our cargoes are in Nigeria.
“This year is not my first or second time in this operation. After some break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the time we are reappearing on this operation.”
NAN
