The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that the return journey of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia will commence on 13 June.

Chairman of the commission, Abdullahi Usman, a professor, said this in Mina on Friday, as Muslims around the world marked Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice.

In a Sallah message , Mr Usman also extended greetings to Muslims particularly pilgrims who participated in the Day of Arafat, a key rite of the Hajj.

“As we mark Eid, we bring good news, the return journey for Nigerian pilgrims will begin on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.

“The first flights will include pilgrims from Imo State with Air Peace, Bauchi State with Max Air, and Kebbi and Sokoto states with Flynas. We urge the first batch of pilgrims to be ready for their return trip and pray for a smooth return leg operation for all our pilgrims.

He also reminded Muslim faithful of the spiritual significance of Hajj, invoking stories of Prophet Ibrahim and Sayyidatuna Hajara as examples of trust, obedience, and sacrifice.

Read full message

Eid Al-Adha Message from NAHCON chairman

By Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman

All praise belongs to Allah, for the privilege of witnessing another eid-al-adha; the celebration of sacrifice. On behalf of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), I heartily congratulate all Muslims on the occasion. We especially congratulate the fortunate pilgrims who witnessed the Day of Arafat. May Allah accept your prayers and sacrifices and those of other Muslims too.

As we celebrate this day, I enjoin our Muslim faithfuls to remember the essence of the Hajj period and to imbibe the lessons contained in the exercise. Remember the trust in Allah that Sayyidatuna Hajara had that brought the existence of Zamzam. Remember the Sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim made in abandoning his family in the desert alone in the care of Allah and how Allah rewarded that obedience with the boisterous town of Makkah. See how the reward of trust in Allah led to surplus blessings in foods and security in a desert land as a rewarding response to Prophet Ibrahim’s supplication. Trust in Allah, obedience to leadership and discipline will make communities and nations prosper.

In celebrating the success of Hajj so far, let me start by appreciating the cooperation and orderly conduct of Nigerian pilgrims throughout this Hajj exercise. Their patience and discipline have been remarkable. This made NAHCON’s job easier.

We in NAHCON also extend our appreciation to the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards. Their support and excellent organization of pilgrims have contributed greatly to the success of the operations.

To our dedicated NAHCON staff, many of whom were serving pilgrims even while in the state of ihram, your sacrifice is noted, and your reward is with Allah.

To our Board Members and all our Ad-hoc staff, we are grateful for your tireless commitment and patience in serving the guests of Allah.

We cannot fail to acknowledge the strong support of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima. Their backing has been instrumental in the smooth running of this year’s Hajj operations.

We also commend the excellent services witnessed in the Mashair: Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah. We assure the public that NAHCON is committed to doing even better, with the right cooperation and continued support from all stakeholders.

As we mark Eid, we bring good news: the return journey for Nigerian pilgrims will begin on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. The first flights will include pilgrims from Imo State with Air Peace, Bauchi State with Max Air, and Kebbi and Sokoto States with Flynas. We urge the first batch of pilgrims to be ready for their return trip and pray for a smooth return leg operation for all our pilgrims.

Eid Mubarak once again. May Allah accept our Hajj, our sacrifices, and our prayers.

Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman
Chairman/CEO
NAHCON