The Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board has announced the successful completion of its 2025 Hajj airlift operations, with all 3,035 intending pilgrims now safely in Saudi Arabia for the annual Islamic pilgrimage.

According to a statement released by Jibril Kodo, the board's Information Officer, the pilgrims were transported in seven separate flights, with the final batch arriving in Madina early Sunday morning.

"The pilgrims on the last flight will spend five days in Madina before proceeding to Mecca for the core Hajj rituals," Kodo stated. He further noted that pilgrims from the first six flights have already arrived in Mecca and are making preparations for the commencement of the annual pilgrimage.

The board described this year's exercise as "one of the most successful and timely airlifts recorded by the state in recent years." The statement commended the effective coordination between relevant agencies and stakeholders involved in the Hajj operation.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca that every financially and physically capable Muslim is expected to perform at least once in their lifetime. Nigerian states typically coordinate the logistics for their residents participating in the pilgrimage through their respective Pilgrims Welfare Boards.

The successful airlift marks the completion of the outbound phase of Niger State's pilgrimage operation for 2025, with attention now turning to supporting the pilgrims during their stay in the holy land and their eventual return to Nigeria after completing the religious obligation.