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Nigerian pilgrims
for this year’s Hajj started returning to Nigeria at the weekend as 510
pilgrims from Sokoto State on Sunday departed the King Abdulaziz
International Airport back to Nigeria after successfully performing the
2010 hajj.

Sahabi Gada, the
Amirul Hajj for the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Makkah, Saudi Arabia, that four of the pilgrims, accompanied by a
doctor, were suffering from ill-health.

Mr. Gada commended
Max Airline for making available its aircraft for the smooth
transportation of the pilgrims. He expressed delight at the exemplary
conduct exhibited by the pilgrims during the hajj and said the
delegation was working round the clock to ensure the smooth return of
the remaining pilgrims.

“We will do all
that we can to ensure we meet the deadline given to us for the
transportation of our pilgrims back home,” the head of the delegation
said.

Mr Gada called for
special prayers by the pilgrims and the citizens at home for God’s
guidance to enable the delegation to succeed in its work.

The Sultan of
Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III who is also the Head of the Federal
Government delegation to the hajj told newsmen that adequate
arrangements have been made to ensure the operation went on smoothly.
He said pilgrims would be brought to the airport only when the aircraft
to convey them was on the ground as part of measures aimed at ensuring
that pilgrims were not made to suffer while waiting for their departure.

The return comes
amidst an advice from Lanre Badmus, Leader of Kwara pilgrims to this
year’s hajj, that the official delegation’s tents be set up close to
those of other Nigerian pilgrims. He said the practice where such
tents, in Muna and Arafat, were cited far away from those of ordinary
pilgrims pose difficulty in monitoring of the pilgrims. He said the
tent to be used by the Amirul Hajj and his team must be placed in the
centre of the other pilgrims’ tents to enable the team to attend to the
problems being faced by the pilgrims.

“The present tent
is far away from the pilgrims and the Sultan of Sokoto, who is the
leader of the federal government delegation, is opposed to this
arrangement and wants it abolished, “he said.

Mr Abubakar, however, urged pilgrims to fully cooperate with
officials and conduct themselves in an orderly manner to ensure
hitch-free operation. The last flight of the operation is expected on
December 16