Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday flagged off the inaugural flight of Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.
The ceremony marked the airport’s first international departure, with 315 pilgrims from Imo, Abia, and Bayelsa states scheduled to travel aboard an Air Peace flight to Saudi Arabia.
The Vice President was received by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Usman, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III, and other senior government officials.
This year, no fewer than 43,000 Nigerian pilgrims who registered through the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to join Muslims from across the world for the Hajj pilgrimage.
Professor Usman reaffirmed NAHCON’s preparedness to deliver a smooth and successful 2025 Hajj operation. He urged all stakeholders to remain united and committed to delivering quality services to the pilgrims.
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“I assure all major stakeholders that NAHCON remains committed to fostering strong partnerships, collaboration, and teamwork to ensure the success of the 2025 Hajj operations,” he said.
Similarly, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Alhaji Anofi Elegushi, reiterated the commission’s determination to enhance its operational standards.
Air Peace is responsible for transporting 5,128 pilgrims from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, the Armed Forces, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, Rivers, and Taraba states.
FlyNas will convey 12,506 pilgrims from the FCT, Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
Max Air will airlift pilgrims from Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Oyo, and Plateau states and aims to complete the transportation of its 15,203 pilgrims by 24 May.
