The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has advised pilgrims to closely stick to the prescribed kilograms for all luggage categories in order to avoid delays on their return travel from Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Haliru Maraya, Chairman of the Agency’s Preaching Sub-Committee, has cautioned that extra luggage may cause delays on outbound flights to Nigeria.
Sheikh Maraya advised travellers to follow airport protocols at Jeddah’s Prince Abdulaziz Airport after Zuhr, or afternoon prayers, at their Ibrahim Khalil house in Makkah.
Malam Ibraheem Musa, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, issued a statement on Sunday stating that the airlift of Kaduna pilgrims back home will begin on June 15, 2026.
According to the statement, Sheikh Maraya urged pilgrims to be excellent ambassadors of Kaduna State by adhering to established laws and regulations.
The Islamic cleric cautioned that the agency would sanction any pilgrim who incites others to breach the law, noting that Kaduna State is known for maintaining peace and order.
He contended that Governor Uba Sani’s entire public life centers around obeying due process and the rule of law, whether as an activist, a Senator, or the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, and warned pilgrims against using his name to violate the law.
The learned Sheikh also warned of the catastrophic effects of excess luggage, citing two plane crashes that killed Nigerian pilgrims in 1973 and 1991.
He recalled that a plane crashed on January 22, 1973, which is similar to Dhul-Hijjah 18, 1392, killing 176 of the 202 people on board.
Sheikh Maraya further recounted that on July 11, 1991, or Dhul-Hijjah 29, 1411, a plane catastrophe involving Nigerian pilgrims happened in Jeddah, killing 261 persons, including 247 passengers and 14 crew members, shortly after takeoff.