Pilgrims from Oyo State who are in Medina have been paid all their traveling allowances.
The Chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) Professor Sayed Malik disclosed this to newsmen at his Olodo Hajj Camp office.
Professor Malik said all the pilgrims were paid their traveling allowances by the Board officials in Medina.
“We have paid the traveling allowances of all the pilgrims from Oyo State. Even, those who earlier received half payments have been paid their balances. We are no longer owing any of our pilgrims in Saudi Arabia”, Professor Malik stated.
He assured that as soon as more money is made available by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the traveling allowances of the intending pilgrims who are yet to be airlifted will be paid.
Professor Malik also appealed to intending pilgrims waiting to be airlifted to holy lands to be patient, stating that arrangements are being made to ensure that they are transported to Saudi Arabia very soon.
“We have secured an airliner that we want to use to transport our intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. But the number of intending pilgrims that are on ground are not enough for the plane to take off. We have about 300 intending pilgrims at Olodo Hajj Camp but they are too small for the aircraft which has the capacity to carry more than 500 people.
So, the pilots are seeking for more passengers to board the aircraft. As soon as they have enough passengers, most especially intending pilgrims from another state, our intending pilgrims will be airlifted to the Holy lands”, Professor Malik explained.
The Chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) further assured that efforts are being intensified to secure visas for the intending pilgrims who are yet to get them.
