Two hundred and seventy pilgrims from Ogun State were airlifted yesterday from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to Medina, Saudi Arabia to participate in this year’s hajj.
The pilgrims, who were transported by Medview Airlines, were the first batch of pilgrims of the 5,303 pilgrims allocated to the airline.
Before the departure of the pilgrims, they underwent medical screening by officials of the Ministry of Health, Port Health Unit.
Part of the medical tests included the one for the Ebola Virus Disease.
Speaking at a pre- departure ceremony event at the Hajj Camp Axis of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Managing Director of Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, said the transporting of the pilgrims would take 10 days.
He said the exercise from Lagos Airport began five days ahead of schedule, a decision he said was motivated by the need to ensure that the exercise was completed.
He said the airline would transport the pilgrims from Lagos Airport, Ilorin International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport and Enugu International Airport to Medina in Saudi Arabia.
Bankole said the states had been structured into zones for the convenience of the exercise.
He said ground arrangement had been concluded for the pilgrims, who were being transported straight to Medina.
