The Lagos State Government has successfully airlifted 3,655 pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2023 pilgrimage.
The 11th and last batch of intending pilgrims landed at the King AbdulAzeez International Airport, Madinah, Wednesday at exactly 7.45pm.
The Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr Taofeek Lawal, disclosed this in a statement.
Lawal said this batch brought the first leg of the Hajj operation to conclusion.
“This batch comprising 130 males and 41 females, including paying pilgrims and Lagos State Government officials, departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard a Flynas Airline flight XY5627 at 11.05am.
“With the arrival of the 11th batch, the total number of pilgrims airlifted by the state is now 3,655.
“The first batch was 390; second, 428; third, 50; fourth, 253; fifth, 426 while the sixth flight had 417.
“On the seventh flight were 415 intending pilgrims; eighth had 375; ninth,356; 10th,181 and the 11th had 171.
“In summary, the state has 2,023 female pilgrims (55.3 per cent) and 1,632 males (44.7 per cent),” he said.
Speaking on the successful completion of the exercise, the head of the state Hajj team, Anofiu Elegushi, expressed gratitude to God for the successes recorded with the first leg of the exercise.
He thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, for their support for the board and the pilgrims.
