38,807 pilgrims return to Nigeria —NAHCON

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said that 38,807 Nigerians who participated in this year’s pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia have been brought back in 80 flights.

The commission clarified that all the 599 pilgrims on board the Max air flight which crash-landed at the Minna airport on Saturday were safe and “securely back to their destinations.”

NAHCON spokesperson, Fatima Usara, in a statement on Sunday, explained that the Max aircraft was the 75th flight on the commission’s return trip schedule.

The commission said it had been assured by the relevant agencies that investigation was ongoing to ascertain the nature of the technical fault that led to the incident.

The statement said, “NAHCON is pleased to note that the plane landed in Minna safely with all pilgrims securely back to their destinations.  As for the condition of the plane, the commission has been assured by the relevant agencies that investigation is ongoing to ascertain the nature of the technical fault encountered.

“Therefore, while waiting for experts to confirm the real situation of the matter, NAHCON requests the general public to be cautious of misinformation.

“Already, two flights by the same Max Air had taken off and landed in Nigeria the same day. So far, 38, 807 pilgrims have been transported back to Nigeria in 80 flights.”