The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON)

The National Hajj

Commission of Nigeria

(NAHCON) on Saturday

announced that it would

commence transportation of

Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi

Arabia on August 18.

The Chairman of the

Commission, Abdullahi

Mukhtar, made the

announcement after

inaugurating the Medical

Team for 2015 hajj exercise

in Abuja.

Mr. Mukhtar, who was

represented by Saleh

Okenwa, the Commissioner in

charge of strategy, said the

Commission was fully

prepared for this year’s Hajj.

He said all necessary

arrangements had been put

in place for the

commencement of the

exercise.

Mr. Mukhtar added that the

Commission had provided

medical facilities for Nigerian

pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and

urged them to discharge their

duties as expected of them.

He promised that this year’s

exercise was going to be

different from previous

exercises because of the level

of the Commission’s

preparation.

In his remarks, the

Commissioner in charge of

the Medical Team, Dr

Ibrahim Kana, commended

the Commission for the

medical arrangements put in

place for this year’s exercise.

He said that “with what I

have seen on ground, I have

no doubt in my mind that

this year’s Hajj will be

exceptionally successful.

“With the kind of

professionals that made up the Medical

Team, the sky is just our starting point.’’

Mr. Kana promised the team of adequate

accommodation in the Holy Land, and

warned, however, that team members

should not occupy a whole room for

whatever reasons.

“The culture is one bed space per person

and not a whole room per person and

please people should not lock rooms for

whatever reasons.

“We will make sure nobody suffers,

whatever the team is entitle to will be

given, no denial.’’

Kano also urged the team to give the best

services to the pilgrims and promised

them of safety of their luggage.

He added that “gone are the days when

luggage spend several weeks before

getting to the owners.’’

He called on the medical team to be

professional in carrying out their duties

and to dress decently.

“We are going to conduct pregnancy

tests on all the females in the Medical

Team too to ascertain their status,’’ he

added.

Meanwhile, the National Amirul Hajj

and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, is

expected to announce the state that

would have the first batch to be

transported to the Holy Land.

(NAN)