The Executive Secretary, Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, has said inaugural flight for intending pilgrims from the state will commence on May, 12, from Ilorin International Airport to Saudi Arabia.

Abdulkadir disclosed this on Sunday at the enlightenment programme organized for all its intending pilgrims for this year’s exercise.

According to him, Kwara will have four flights each boarding 550 to airlift the 2,174 intending pilgrims from the state.

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He said the airlifting will be concluded on May 17, a day after the third batch and three days after the airlifting of the second batch.

In his remarks, chairman of the board, Prof Mashood Mahmud-Jimba, called on intending pilgrims to desist from abusive words before, during and after the exercise due to its rich spiritual significance.

In his lecture, Grand Khadi, Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, advised the intending pilgrims to perform the Hajj with the fear of Allah and shun any action of deed that may violate their Hajj.

Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen tasked them to be patient while in the Holy land and remember the purpose for their journey.

In their separate remarks, the representative of Federal Airport Authority, NAFDAC, NDLEA, Nigerian Customs Service and FOMWAN advised the intending pilgrims to follow the rules and regulations of Hajj while in Saudi Arabia and be good ambassadors of the state and country at large.

Highlights of the programme was a simulation of the Hajj rituals in the board’s premises highlighting the steps and procedures required from the pilgrims during the exercise in Saudi Arabia.