Lagos To Airlift 1,862 Pilgrims For Hajj, Insists Israel Safe For Pilgrimage

Lagos State government will airlift 1,862 for the 2024 Hajj even as it insisted that Israel is safe for pilgrimage.

The commissioner for home affairs, Ibrahim Layode, who disclosed this during the 2024 ministerial press briefing to mark the first year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office, said a total number of 3,655 Muslim pilgrims went on Hajj in 2023.

In his address, he said, “While in the Holy Land during the Christian pilgrimage, the Israel-Hamas war broke out, thus the second batch of the Christian pilgrims were not able to make the trip. To the glory of God, the whole 310 pilgrims returned home safe and sound, no death or abscondment.”

Reeling out the achievements of the ministry, Layode said that during the Easter and Ramadan periods, the state government on March 29, 2024, organised combined special prayers for Nigeria and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The commissioner said the event was attended by the Governor Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, past deputy governors, serving legislators at the National Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, religious leaders, other top government functionaries, among others.

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He pointed out that the 2024 Ramadan Tafsir, which marked the 25th anniversary of the Lagos State Ramadan Tafsir, was celebrated with all past commissioners and permanent secretari

The commissioner noted that during the period of the Ramadan fast, over 50,000 food packs and drinks were distributed to public servants in all MDAs across the state to break their fast.

Layode said during the Lent/Easter celebration, which is an anticipated spiritual event when Christians fast, pray and engage in acts of self-discipline and purification, the ministry facilitated the distribution of gift items and over 50,000 food packs as means of showing kindness (palliatives) to the teeming fasting Christians across MDAs in the state.