Kwara State Pilgrims Set to Return from Saudi Arabia

The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has confirmed that the first batch of pilgrims from the state, who participated in the 2026 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia, will arrive in Ilorin on Sunday. According to a statement released by the board's Press Secretary, Mrs. Jumoke Jimoh, the pilgrims will land at the Babatunde Idiagbon International Airport. The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, stated that a total of 560 pilgrims will be transported by MaxAir and are expected to land at the airport on Sunday, June 7, 2026. He explained that the return of the pilgrims has been scheduled in batches to ensure a smooth and coordinated operation, with the second batch arriving on Tuesday, the third batch on Friday, and the last batch on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The Executive Secretary also disclosed that all pilgrims from Kwara State are in good health and high spirits following the completion of the religious exercise in the holy land. 'All Kwara pilgrims are in good health and high spirits. We thank Almighty Allah for granting us a successful Hajj exercise this year,' Abdulkadir said. The Chairman of the board, Professor Mashood Mahmud-Jimba, commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his support towards the successful conduct of the pilgrimage. 'We appreciate Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his unwavering support and commitment, which contributed immensely to the smooth and successful Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia,' Mahmud-Jimba said. The board has assured relatives, friends, and well-wishers of the pilgrims that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure a seamless reception process upon their arrival in Ilorin.