2026 Hajj: Third batch of Kwara pilgrims departs for Saudi Arabia

By Ahmed Olayinka

The third batch of intending pilgrims from Kwara State has departed for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj exercise, bringing the total number of pilgrims airlifted from the state to 1,487.

A total of 557 pilgrims were transported aboard a Max Air flight which departed the Babatunde Idi-Agbon International Airport, Ilorin, at about 10:09 a.m. on Friday.

The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Jumoke Jimoh.

Speaking shortly before the departure, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, urged the pilgrims to conduct themselves responsibly and remain focused on the spiritual purpose of the pilgrimage.

“You are going to the Holy Land for a sacred obligation, and you must conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the people of Kwara State and Nigeria,” he said.

He advised the pilgrims to remain disciplined, law-abiding and avoid actions capable of tarnishing the image of the state and the country while in Saudi Arabia.

“Avoid any act that can bring disrepute to yourselves, your families, Kwara State, or Nigeria as a whole,” he warned.

Abdulkadir also stressed the need for patience, unity and peaceful coexistence among the pilgrims throughout the Hajj exercise.

“You must learn to live peacefully with one another, respect constituted authorities and strictly adhere to all rules and regulations guiding the Hajj operations,” he added.

He further prayed for a successful pilgrimage and safe return of all pilgrims from the state.

Also addressing the pilgrims, the Chairman of the Board, Moshood Mahmud-Jimba, reminded them that Hajj is a spiritual obligation that requires devotion, sincerity and discipline.

“Hajj is not a tourism exercise; it is an act of worship that demands total commitment and good conduct,” he said.

Mahmud-Jimba expressed satisfaction with the smooth coordination of the ongoing airlift operation, noting that the board had made adequate arrangements for the transportation of the remaining pilgrims.

“We are satisfied with the level of coordination and orderly conduct recorded so far, and necessary measures have been put in place to ensure seamless airlift of the remaining pilgrims,” he stated.

Among dignitaries and officials who accompanied the pilgrims were representatives of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), board member Khadijat Ab-tabwy, Muftau Lawal and the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Agboola Moshood.

The latest departure followed the successful airlift of the first batch of 374 pilgrims on Wednesday and the second batch of 556 pilgrims who departed Ilorin in the early hours of Thursday as part of the ongoing 2026 Hajj operations.