The first batch of Nigerian pilgrims have left for Saudi Arabia as theinaugural airliftfor 2018pilgrimagebeganon Saturday.
The pilgrims from Kogi State, departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja by 11 am, and will fly straight to Prince Muhammad bin Sultan International Airport, Madinah.
President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the FCT Minister Muhammad Musa Bello, advised the pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country.
He urged them to pray for Nigeria to overcome her security and other socioeconomic and political challenges.
Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad thanked the President for the support and understanding towards ensuring a hitch free Hajj exercise.
The chairman commended the Kogi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for keeping to arrangement, which ensured the successful inaugural ceremony at the Abuja airport.
On his part, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Adnan Mahmud Bostaj, assured Nigerian pilgrims that the kingdom has made all necessary arrangements to receive the guests of Allah and to ensure their comfort and well being before, during and after the Hajj rites.
He, however, appealed to the pilgrims to strictly adhere to Saudi rules and regulations, which are not punitive, but meant to serve them better.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday interrogated former Governor of Akwa Ibom State Godswill Akpabio over allegation of financial crimes. Daily Trust gathered that Akpabio honoured the invitation by the anti-graft agency to explain allegations of looting of the state’s funds during his tenure. Sources told our correspondent that Senator Akpabio was being interrogated late yesterday evening at the Abuja head offices of the Commission. He was spotted at the EFFC office in company of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, at about 5:20pm. Akpabio’s arrest yesterday is fallout of the petition by an Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Leo Ekpenyong, who had on June 8 this year petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC, calling for Senator Akpabio’s probe and accusing him of looting. The petitioner had earlier on Wednesday adopted his petition and provided more details to the anti-graft agency on the allegations against the minority leader of People...
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