Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has been praised for his efforts to ensure that pilgrims from the state perform the 2026 Hajj exercise with ease and comfort in Saudi Arabia.
The Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Malam Salihu S. Abubakar, said the governor has consistently supported the agency and never rejected any of its requests.
Speaking during the flag-off of the Hajj exercise at the Mando Hajj Camp on Wednesday, Malam Salihu disclosed that Kaduna State secured one of the best accommodations in Makkah, located close to Masjid Al-Haram, also known as the Grand Mosque.
He added that intending pilgrims would be transported from the Hajj camp to the Kaduna International Airport by 2am using the CNG buses donated by Governor Uba Sani to the agency.
The agency chairman also commended the governor for supporting infrastructural development at the camp through the construction of modern structures and the upgrade of facilities, which he said have transformed the Mando Hajj Camp.
Representing the governor at the event, Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe congratulated the intending pilgrims and thanked Allah for giving them the opportunity to fulfil one of the pillars of Islam.
She prayed for their safe trip to Saudi Arabia and back home, while urging them to also pray for lasting peace and development in Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole.
Dr Balarabe stated that the Kaduna State Government had taken necessary steps to ensure the welfare of pilgrims from their stay at the Mando Hajj Transit Camp to their time in the Holy Land and safe return home.
According to her, the Uba Sani administration remodelled and upgraded the Hajj camp with modern facilities to ensure smooth Hajj operations.
She listed the newly built ICT centre, ultra-modern hall, and office structures among the projects completed at the camp.
Also speaking at the event, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, advised intending pilgrims to obey the laws of Saudi Arabia and avoid carrying prohibited items into the Holy Land.
The Emir warned against taking kola nuts and other condiments to Saudi Arabia, noting that they are unnecessary, even for health reasons.
He also cautioned pilgrims against accepting luggage from anyone for safekeeping at airports, whether in Kaduna or Saudi Arabia.
According to him, experience has shown that such bags are often used to smuggle drugs, stressing that drug trafficking attracts the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
