The government of Lagos gives an update on how many pilgrims will be taken by plane to Mecca in 2022.

LAGOS – The Lagos State government has ended the arguments about the State Muslim Pilgrims' Welfare Board's plans to go to Saudi Arabia in 2022.

The state commissioner for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, spoke at a press conference in Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday. He said that the meeting was to "give an update on the current Hajj operations being run by the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and to address some of the issues that have been on the front burner in terms of the total number of pilgrims who won't be able to make this year's Hajj."

Elegushi said that since 2020, no pilgrims have been flown because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, more people have wanted to go on pilgrimage because of this.

He did say, though, that "when the Saudi Arabian authorities gave the go-ahead for pilgrims to be airlifted in 2022, we already had more than 4,000 people registered with the state who wanted to go on pilgrimage."

The commissioner said, "The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) gave 1,562 slots to Lagos State, and the group of pilgrims from Lagos State used them all right away."

Saudi Arabia's government said it would add 5,000 more slots, so NAHCON added 250 more slots. Unfortunately, the Saudi Arabian government said no to the 5,000 slots, but we already gave away the 250 slots that were still waiting for final processing and visas from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Elegushi said that he was sorry that the Saudi Arabian government had turned down the 5,000 promised slots. This is why it's so dangerous to live in Lagos State.

"We know that this affects every country in the world where people want to go on pilgrimage, but the reactions and the need to make things clear have forced us to make this speech."

The state government has decided to do the following in the future, according to the commissioner:

Put the names of those affected who want to go on the pilgrimage in a national newspaper as the first group for Hajj operations in 2023.

Don't sell forms for the Hajj in 2023 until you know how many people can go. Let's start with the people whose names were written down.

If a would-be pilgrim wants to use this option to get a refund, make it simple and quick for them to do so.

The commissioner said the state government would always help pilgrims who wanted to go, and he prayed for the safe return of the pilgrims who had already been airlifted.