The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has officially announced that Nigerian pilgrims who completed this year's Hajj rites in Saudi Arabia will begin their return journey on June 9, 2025.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh, made this announcement in a statement issued in Minna while extending Eid al-Adha greetings to Muslims. According to the statement, the return flights will commence on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, which corresponds to June 9 on the Gregorian calendar.
First Returning Pilgrims
The initial return flights will transport pilgrims from Imo State via Air Peace, while pilgrims from Bauchi State will be flown back to Nigeria aboard Max Air. This marks the beginning of the repatriation process for thousands of Nigerians who traveled to the Holy Land for the annual pilgrimage.
The announcement comes as pilgrims conclude the essential rites of Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, which Muslims who are physically and financially capable are required to perform at least once in their lifetime.
Hajj 2025 Operations
This year's Hajj operations faced some challenges, with reports indicating that over 2,700 Nigerians missed the pilgrimage due to late payments. Despite this setback, NAHCON successfully airlifted approximately 79% of registered Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 pilgrimage.
Among the states that completed their airlift operations was Niger State, which successfully transported all 3,035 of its pilgrims to the Holy Land for this year's Hajj.
NAHCON had also made arrangements to serve Nigerian food to pilgrims during their stay in Saudi Arabia, demonstrating efforts to enhance the comfort and experience of Nigerian pilgrims during the sacred journey.
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