More than 200 intending pilgrims from Kwara State protested at the Ilorin International Airport on Friday due to a faulty aircraft that failed to transport them to Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrims, officials, and the 2024 state Amirul Hajj had boarded the aircraft on Thursday, but it developed a technical fault that engineers have been unable to repair.
The protesters, including relatives, took to the highway, singing solidarity songs and expressing their frustration as the last batch of pilgrims from the state. Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, the state’s 2024 Amirul Hajj, attributed the delay to the faulty aircraft and assured that another aircraft from Medina is expected to transport the pilgrims.
He appealed for patience, noting that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is working to resolve the issue.
“The board will continue to provide food for the pilgrims until they are transported to the holy land.” He said
