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Tag: pilgrims

  • SAHCO officiials, others arrested for tagging luggage stuffed with drugs in pilgrims’ names

    SAHCO officiials, others arrested for tagging luggage stuffed with drugs in pilgrims’ names

    Two staff members of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO), Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, and Jazuli Kabir, have confessed to framing Maryam Hussain Abdullahi and two other pilgrims.

    They accepted N100,000 each to tag pilgrims’ bags containing illicit substances. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the men were part of a criminal syndicate.

    This syndicate operated at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano.

    Following detection of these drugs, the three Nigerian pilgrims were detained in Saudi Arabia. Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq, were headed for execution if found guilty. The pilgrims boarded an Ethiopian Airline flight ET940 on August 6, this year. The flight was from Kano to Jeddah en route Addis-Ababa. The three were, unfortunately, tagged with six extra bags. Three of these bags were found to contain illicit drugs.

    According to a statement from NDLEA, “The bags were tagged and checked in by members of staff of Skyway Aviation Handling Company, who are also members of the criminal syndicate, to the names of the three complainants secretly and without their knowledge or consent. The bags illegally tagged against the complainants’ names are the ones intercepted in Saudi Arabia and found to contain the illicit drug substances. For the above reasons, the three complainants were arrested and detained for crimes they had no knowledge of.”

    Read Also: SAHCO’s shareholders approve N406m dividend

    Six members of the syndicate are in NDLEA custody. Four have been charged to court. They are the 55-year-old drug kingpin Ali Abubakar Mohammed (aka Bello Karama), Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Celestina Emmanuel Yayock.

    Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspects made confessional statements.

    Ali admitted to bringing in seven bags. Celestina confessed to checking in two of them for N100,000. Another suspect, Jazuli Kabir, checked in two other bags and also collected N100,000. Ali travelled with the remaining three bags on Egypt Air.

    The NDLEA has receipts of the money transfer.The sum of N200,000 went from Ali to Celestina. Celestina, then, transferred N100,000 to Jazuli.

    A swift NDLEA investigation uncovered the plot. It was prompted by complaints from the victims’ families. The bags were traced back to the drug kingpin, Abubakar. He was the mastermind behind the operation. The bags were secretly checked in by members of the criminal syndicate.

    The two SAHCO staff, Yayock and Kabir, confessed to checking in the fraudulent bags in the name of the pilgrims. They were paid N100,000 each for the job. They are in NDLEA custody, along with Abubakar and other syndicate members. They are facing multiple charges.

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.- Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), is engaging with his Saudi counterparts. He plans to present the agency’s findings to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia.

    This is to prove the innocence of the three Nigerians. They are clearly victims of a criminal conspiracy.

    The NDLEA statement read: “In the light of the foregoing, and the evidence gathered by the Agency in the course of our investigation, it is clear that Mrs. Maryam Abdullahi and two others who are being detained in Saudi are victims of circumstance, implicated by the activities of a criminal syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.”

  • Pilgrims arrive Mina for stoning ritual

    Pilgrims arrive Mina for stoning ritual

    Mr Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra, has decried the  get-rich-quick syndrome among youths and called for an urgent value re-orientation among the nation’s youths.

    He made the call on Friday in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra during the maiden Amatutu Community Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Summit.

    Obi, who was 2023 Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, said that the get-rich-quick syndrome was counterproductive in the society.

    He urged youths to key into skill acquisition, trading and entrepreneurship to enhance their productivity rather than indulge in unlawful acts just to acquire wealth.

    According to him, in 1957 his father owned three Mercedes Benz cars among other properties but today the properties are no more.

    “I do not believe in acquiring wealth all over the world that is not for your immediate need, what for?

    “ If people understand life in a simple manner, the need to get rich by all means will not exist and life will be more meaningful to all and sundry,’’ he said.

    He commended the organisers of the summit led by Ms Aisha Edward-Maduagwu, Director, Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home Agulu, saying it was timely.

    The former governor assured the organisers of the summit of his support to touch the lives of the indigent, widows, youths and anyone in need of capital for self-development.

    The Special Guest Speaker at the event, Prof. Chinyere Okunna, urged the organisers not to relent in their effort towards improving the lives of rural people by showing them right path to success.

    The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu, said the summit would shape future for the community for the better.

    Read Also: NAHCON, Lagos pilgrims pray for Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, Nigerians at Arafah

    Ogbuagu advised them to harness the power of collective effort and innovation to build a prosperous community.

    Earlier, Edward-Maduagwu said that the event was a milestone in Agulu community towards its progress and prosperity.

    She also said it was a testament to the power of collective efforts, visionary leadership and commitment to human capital development.

    She said that 50 people, including women and youths, were empowered with cash, equipment and other tools to help them pursue their dreams and contribute to the growth and development of the community.

    “We are deeply grateful to Obi for his tireless efforts in promoting human capital development in our community.

    “ Obi’s legacy is a testament to the impact one person can have when driven by a passion for service and commitment to empowering others.

    “To the 50 beneficiaries of this empowerment program, it is a momentous occasion in your lives, see the resource received today not just as a gift but a catalyst for your dream,’’ she said.

    Edward-Maduagwu said that with the help of the sponsors, organisers and volunteers, it was possible to hold a successful programme.

    Mrs Chidiebele Iloanya, one of the beneficiaries and a petty trader, said that she was selected after the interview held by the management of the orphanage and promised to use the funds judiciously.

    Mr Ifeanyi Okonkwo, another beneficiary who got equipment and cash for his saloon, expressed gratitude for the support.

    (NAN)

  • Pilgrims board strengthens partnerships to enhance service

    Pilgrims board strengthens partnerships to enhance service

    To boost awareness and participation in Christian pilgrimage, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (CPWB) has embarked on visits to key stakeholders, including ministries, departments and agencies, local governments, local council development areas (LCDAs), media houses, corporate organisations and churches.

    This followed a ministerial news briefing by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Layode, in commemoration of the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.

    The commissioner praised the board’s role in forging partnerships in government agencies, religious institutions and the private sector to enhance spiritual tourism services.

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    He said the agency was committed to providing support and services for Christian pilgrims in Lagos State through its initiatives and partnerships.

    Layode hailed the team led by the Board Secretary, Dr. Gbolabo Okudero, for its consistency and forward-looking instinct at planning a seamless journey for the Lagos team this year.

    A visit to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development underscored the board’s commitment to collaboration and promoting pilgrimage services among stakeholders.

    Led by Okudero, the delegation sought to engage with local government and LCDA chairmen through their regular monthly meetings facilitated by the ministry.

    Also in a move to enforce financial regulations and restore order to the money lending sector, Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs intensified compliance checks and sanctioned defaulters.

  • Lagos pilgrims hold thanksgiving service, celebrate safe return from Israel, Jordan

    Lagos pilgrims hold thanksgiving service, celebrate safe return from Israel, Jordan

    The Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board held a thanksgiving service on Thursday, March 13, 2024, at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Ikeja, to celebrate the successful and smooth completion of the 2024 pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan.

    The event, themed “He Brought Us Back Rejoicing,” brought together pilgrims, government officials, and well-wishers to express gratitude for a safe journey and share testimonies of divine encounters.

    Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, delivered a goodwill message, acknowledging initial concerns over the security situation in Gaza. 

    She expressed deep gratitude that all pilgrims returned safely without harm.

    Secretary of the Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mrs. Yetunde Gbafe, also commended the smooth execution of the pilgrimage, noting that both batches of pilgrims returned without any cases of abscondment. 

    She credited the success of the journey to the unwavering support of the Lagos state government and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to the board’s activities. 

    “We were able to go and we came back safe and sound. And people, they have very many testimonies for what God has done. When we came back, we counted and none was missing. 

    Read Also: Adegbite urges Christian pilgrims to stay focused during their exercise 

    “We also want to say a very big thank you to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, because he’s the one that has given us the enabling environment to be able to operate, without his enabling environment, we would not be able to perform. 

    “That’s why the state is actually a forerunner in all, in the pilgrimage exercise or in the pilgrimage leading. Everybody wants to come with Lagos State and it’s because of the governor that we have.”

    A key highlight of the thanksgiving service was the series of testimonies shared by the pilgrims. 

    First-time pilgrims spoke passionately about the miracles and spiritual encounters they experienced while in the holy land. 

    Some recounted moments of personal healing, breakthroughs, and a renewed sense of faith during their visit to sacred sites in Jerusalem and Jordan.

    The thanksgiving service underscored the significance of religious pilgrimages as a source of spiritual renewal and connection. 

  • Kano provides free meals to pilgrims in Saudi

    Kano provides free meals to pilgrims in Saudi

    Kano State government  says it has been  providing free meals for pilgrims from its state since their arrival in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

    This, the government said, is excluding comfortable accommodation it already provided for the pilgrims.

    Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu, the Head of Media Team for Kano State pilgrims, who is also the media aide of the Kano state deputy governor, yesterday reported that 3,110 Kano  pilgrims are in Saudi participating in this year’s sacred Hajj ritual.

    The Kano pilgrims are led by the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo, who also serves as the Amirul Hajj. Gwarzo is accompanied by the Director General of the State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Lamin Danbappa, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Falgore and other top government functionaries.

    “The pilgrims comprise both government-sponsored and privately sponsored individuals,” Shuaibu said in a statement from Saudi made available to The Nation.

    Read Also: Kano provides free meals to pilgrims in Saudi

    According to Shuaibu, “the meal is one of the best offered to pilgrims, and is aimed at ensuring the well-being and comfort of the pilgrims during their stay in the holy land.”

    He added that the meals are being provided twice a day to all pilgrims from Kano State, regardless of their background or socio-economic status.

    “The meals, which are prepared by a team of experienced chefs, are nutritious and delicious, and are served in a clean and hygienic environment,” he said.

    In addition to the meals, the Kano State Government has also deployed a team of medical professionals to Saudi Arabia to provide medical care to the pilgrims, it was learnt.

  • Hajj: Pilgrims get BTA differential

    Hajj: Pilgrims get BTA differential

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved payment of $100 shortfall in Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) of pilgrims.

    Some had protested alleged irregularities in BTA after they were given $400 as against $500 announced by National Hajj Commission (NAHCON). 

    NAHCON calculated hajj fares and $500 BTA using N1,252.01 to $1 exchange rate, but Central Bank released BTA at N1,530.86 to $1, which gave each pilgrim $415.

    Read Also: 5,886 Lagos pensioners get N16.6b in one year, says commissioner

    Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ibrahim Layode, told reporters at departure of 256 pilgrims, Sanwo-Olu okayed the $100 shortfall for each pilgrim pending resolution of the matter by NAHCON and CBN.

    Layode hailed Sanwo-Olu’s kindheartedness which, he said, would help pilgrims.

    The commissioner assured pilgrims the governor will pay for their rams, Ihram clothes and ziyyarah (visitation) to sites in Makkah and Madinah.

    Layode urged them not to bring the state and country to disrepute.

    Pilgrims started travelling May 17, with 425. The second 425, May 18, third 428, May 22, and fourth 312, May 24, bringing total to 1,846.

  • ‘Why I sponsored Imo pilgrims to holy land’

    ‘Why I sponsored Imo pilgrims to holy land’

    Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has said he did not have any political intention in sponsoring the 1,200 Christian and Muslim pilgrims, who visited Jerusalem, Jordan, Mecca and Medina this year on pilgrimage. He said he was rather interested in the spiritual uplift of the beneficiaries, coupled with moral benefits and their relationship with God.

    The governor spoke at Eze Imo Palace in Mbari, Owerri in his remarks during the interdenominational thanksgiving service organised by the pilgrims to appreciate him for the opportunity given to them to visit holy land at no cost to them.

    He had paid for the airlift, feeding, accommodation and other expenses of 1,000 Christian pilgrims to Jordan and Jerusalem, as well as for 200 Muslims, who went to Mecca and Medina from Imo State.

    The service turned out to be a moment of emotional outpour, as Uzodimma was treated with tales of how, through the exercise and his magnanimity, many beneficiaries, Christian and Muslim pilgrims, had the opportunity of either travelling by air for the first time in their lives as well as travelling outside the shores of Nigeria, also for the first time.

    The pilgrims, most of who clamoured to see the sponsor, were excited to behold the governor in their midst and also happy over the opportunity to lavish prayers on him as the governorship election draws closer.

    Although they reminded Uzodimma that they prayed for him, his family, his government, Imo State, among others at the holy land, the pilgrims also told him that the payback time, which is November 11, has come.

    They were therefore happy to enter into a prayer of agreement, after which they endorsed the governor for re-election and resolved to vote massively for him.

    The service was organised by the Imo State Christian Pilgrims Welfare.

    Read Also: Yahaya Bello: No assassination attempt on my life

    Appreciating their prayers, Uzodimma told the congregation that he was not only humbled by their experience, but also that it gave him satisfaction having a better relationship with his creator. He urged them to do the same.

    He said pilgrimage means a lot to the Christian and Muslim faiths, and appealed to Imo people to “first live together as a people irrespective of religious differences because all of us are of one God.”

    Deputy Governor Placid Njoku thanked the governor for his Godly dispositions that made it possible for him to sponsor people from the state to the holy land.

    The Chairman, Imo State Pilgrim Welfare Board, Rev Fr. Dr. Gilbert Alaribe, thanked the governor and God Almighty for a seamless exercise and journey mercies.

    The Chairman, Imo State Muslim Council, Baba Sule, expressed gratitude to the governor for the gesture, saying it was the first time Imo State Government sponsored Muslims to the holy land.

    Sule, the Sarikin Hausawa Imo State, prayed God to continue to “put the governor on the front seat and always put him above all his enemies.”

    Other speakers included the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Theresa Chikeka; the Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, Dr. Macdonald Ebere and HRH Eze Mathew Nwokoma.

    Bishop Henry Mbamaonyeukwu and Bishop Akanabu, representing the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, CCN, ECWA an Anglican Church said the governor had sown bountifully, hence he would reap bountifully.

  • 2,003 Kaduna pilgrims return home – Official

    The Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board said 2,003 Kaduna pilgrims had returned home by Monday after successfully performing the 2018 hajj.

    The board Public Relations Officer, Malam Yunusa Abdullahi, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna.

    Abdullahi said the 5th flight arrived in the early hours of Monday with 509 pilgrims via Max airline.

    ‘‘Total number of flights recorded are five; Max Air two flights and returned 1,069, Med-View three flights and returned 934 pilgrims.

    ‘‘Total Kaduna pilgrims back home, 2,003,’’ he said.

    He said the 6th flight is expected on Tuesday via Max Air.

    He said all pilgrims were given five litres of Zamzam water while claiming their luggage at Hajj Transit Camp, Mando.

    Yunusa gave assurance that the remaining pilgrims would soon return home.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 3,238 pilgrims from Kaduna performed the 2018 hajj.

  • Pilgrims start returning

    The return journey of Nigeria’s 55,000 pilgrims, who performed the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, will begin today, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said.

    Its Director of Operations, Abdullahi Saleh, who spoke yesterday in Jeddah after a meeting with the airline operators, said the operation would be concluded within the same period it took to transport pilgrims from Nigeria, “except there is any circumstance that warrants extension like an emergency.”

    Saleh said NAHCON and the air carriers would adhere to the initial sequence of pilgrims journey to the Holy land, to be fair in discharging the duty.

    “The tradition of first come, first return will be observed as a principle and in line with the Saudi guidelines for fairness and equity,” he said.

    Saleh appealed to pilgrims and the operators to conduct the home-bound journeys orderly, saying the handlers had indicated their readiness for the operation.

    Max Air Ltd, one of the airlines, said it was ready to begin the return journey.

    The Managing Director, Shyam Manwani, said the company had transported the pilgrims’ holy water (Zamzam) to Nigeria during the first phase.

    It will be distributed to pilgrims on return to the airports in Nigeria.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inaugural flight from Nigeria began on July 21 with 446 Kogi pilgrims and the return flight is expected to take the same shape.

    Three carriers, MAX Air Ltd, Flynass and Medview are involved in the exercise

  • Hajj 2018: Nigeria to commence airlift with Kogi pilgrims

    Barring last minute changes, Nigeria will welcome Kogi State pilgrims as the first batch of returnees from the 2018 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

    This was disclosed by Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, on an inspection tour of pilgrims’ accommodation and welfare facilities in Mina, the tent city, on the outskirts of Mina.

    He promised that when Saudi aviation authorities approves airlift of pilgrims back to their homelands by the end of August, the Kogi contingent will be the first to be airlifted back home. This is because they were the first group to arrive in Madinah from Nigeria.

    The first batch of 445 pilgrims from Kogi State arrived in Madinah aboard the inaugural flight for this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

    The pilgrims were transported by Max Air Limited to Prince Muhammad Abdullaziz International Airport, Madinah via the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The contingent which was headed by the Chairman of the commission, Sheikh Lukman Abdullahi, also conveyed some members of the National Media Team established by NAHCON.

    The pilgrims from Kogi and other parts of the country are billed to return according to the sequence of their flights and arrival in Madinah.

    Read Also: Hajj 2018: NAHCON outlaws political campaign in Mina

    Muhammad expressed his satisfaction with the Kogi State contingent, commending them for cooperating with NAHCON team and being compliant with Hajj rules and regulations.

    Leading Nigeria’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Isa Dodo, and a team comprising NAHCON and state officials round the tents housing Ebonyi, Zamfara, Kano, Kogi and Kwara pilgrims, among others, he commended the services of the various operations teams and welfare committees, adding that he was satisfied with the quality of care given to the pilgrims.

    In response to pilgrims’ complaints about inadequate toilet facilities, Muhammad said NAHCON will engage relevant Saudi authorities to address the problem, which caused long queues of pilgrims on several occasions.

    The NAHCON however, advised pilgrims to abide by the 38-kilogramme aviation luggage size requirement, stressing that, defaulters will incur extra charges for carrying overweight items.