A total of 560 pilgrims on Sunday were airlifted from Niger state to the Holy Land of Saudi Arabia.
The inaugural flight had pilgrims from Mariga, Mashegu, Rijau, Edati and Munya Local Government Areas of the State.
The Pilgrims were charged to be prayerful, disciplined and law abiding while in the Holy Land of Saudi Arabia.
The Niger state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso made the charge at the Minna International Airport when he paid a farewell visit to the State Pilgrims shortly before they were airlifted to Madina in Saudi Arabia.
Ketso enjoined the Pilgrims not to engage in any act that would prevent them from having a hitch free and acceptable Hajj.
“I call on you to desist from any act of disobeying Saudi Arabia law and not to engage themselves in carrying any contraband item into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, he said.
The Deputy Governor who enlightened the Pilgrims on financial matters warned them not to give out their Basic Travelling Allowance, BTA to anyone except the trusted Area Pilgrims Welfare Officers, APWOs so as not to fall into the hands of fraudsters.
He then charged them to focus on praying for the end of the security challenges facing the nation and state, for themselves and their families.
The Inaugural flight also included ten officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.
