24 December 2008
Abuja — Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Tuesday departed for Saudi Arabia to facilitate the return of Nigerian Pilgrims.
Bankole, who is this year's Amirul Hajj, left Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja, at about 8a.m., aboard a presidential jet, accompanied by House Committee Chairman, Foreign Affairs, Honourable Umar Bature, Minority Leader, Honourable Mohammed Nude, and some members of the National Hajj Commission.
His Media Adviser, Mr Kayode Akinmade, quoted him as saying that the airlifting of the pilgrims back home will be concluded on schedule, regardless of the current hitches.
He said his optimism was buoyed by his earlier claim that 3000 Nigerian pilgrims will be airlifted back home on a daily basis.
Akinmade said the trip was partly necessitated by Bankole's desire to see some of the pilgrims recuperating in some hospitals, following auto accident and in pursuance of his promise to use this year's Hajj as a model to develop a blue-print for future Hajj operations in the country.
He said the blue-print when developed, will address problems of contracts on Hajj, with airlines and private hajj operators, auto crash in the holy land and status of intending pilgrims.
He said this year's Hajj had recorded 100 per cent airlifting before Saudi Arabia Airport was closed for the operation, making it the first time such would happen in the history of Hajj in Nigeria in the last 20 years.
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