Katsina — The final airlift of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to the Katsina International Airport ended weekend with the state's Hajj delegation attributing success of the operation to cooperation and assistance received from stakeholders.

Chairman of the state's Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Lawal Dano who stated this to news men, said other reasons also contributed to the success of the hajj operation, including huge financial investment made by the state government and the fatherly role played by the state governor to ensure a hitch free exercise.

Dano said the state's 34 council areas assisted through availing the delegation with officers, youth and women leaders as well as several preachers who helped in conducting the pilgrims through the religious rituals at the holy land.

The chairman said the airline which lifted pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia also helped in ensuring a smooth operation, adding that the promptness of the airline saw to the state being the first group of pilgrims to arrive at the holy land for the hajj exercise.

He averred that the state government subsidised pilgrims' accommodation to the tune of N330 million and assisted them financially with over N87 million in order to ensure that they had good place to stay and money to spend during their entire stay.

Dano, who thanked stakeholders for ensuring a successful hajj operation, called on them and public members to avail the welfare board with quality information that would ensure better operations in subsequent hajj exercises.

The exercise saw total of 6, 450 pilgrims including hajj delegation members, flown into the Katsina International Airport in 13 flights. Only one person from the state, Alhaji Mansir Aliyu, lost his life during the hajj operation.