Airlift of 99,000 Muslims to Saudi Arabia to commence soon

The Managing Director of one of the official airlines for this year’s hajj, Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole

Airlift of 99,000 Muslims to Saudi Arabia to commence soon
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos

The airlifting of 99,000 Nigerian Muslim pilgrims for this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia would commence at midnight on October 1, 2011 in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory, Ilorin North Central and Lagos South-West Nigeria.

The Managing Director of one of the official airlines for this year’s hajj, Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole who announced this in a media chat, debunked the purported ban by the  Saudi Arabian government on Nigerians who have been to the Holy land in the last five years.

Alhaji Bankole said that over 800 pilgrims from 18 states in the federation including members of the armed forces were to be airlifted on daily basis.

According to him, “The first set of the intending Pilgrims would be airlifted on the night of October 1st, both in Abuja and immediately followed by pilgrims from Lagos on the same night”.
“Medview is to airlift pilgrims from 18 states in the federation, including intending members of the Armed Forces. We are to airlift from Abuja, South-West, South-East, South-South, North East and North-Central for 20 days effectively”, he revealed.

Commenting on the efficiency and effectiveness of his carrier in airlifting pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia this year, Alhaji Bankole, who is the Chairman, Air Carriers Forum declared that two aircraft have been on standby at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for some days, with all the crew members lodged in a hotel awaiting the commencement of the exercise.

The alleged ban

On the purported ban placed on old pilgrims in the last five years Alhaji Bankole said, “That information is not meant for Nigeria. We have cordial and mutual relationship with them. They even increased the number of our quota from 95, 000 to 99, 000 this year.”

He added, “We in Medview Airline also are making payment for the last five pillars of Islam easy for intending pilgrims by encouraging those who cannot pay the fees once to pay it in instalments so as to make it simple for them.”

Ekata/Iheanacho