Religion

Rescheduled Flight: Osun Gives Intending Pilgrims N15,000

By Web News 222

By Folake Oye

Each of the 160 intending pilgrims going to perform this year’s hajj from Osun State but are yet to be airlifted has received a sum of N15,000 each.

About 1,432 pilgrims from the state had been airlifted to Saudi Arabia, with the remaining 160 still in Nigeria, awaiting their flight.

 A statement by the Executive Secretary, Osun State Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board,Mr Muritala Fakunle indicates that the last batch of pilgrims from the state, comprising 325 pilgrims were to be airlifted on Sunday but due to a delay in the flight schedule, only 165 were airlifted, leaving 160 pilgrims awaiting the next schedule.

Mr Fakunle explained that the gesture of the state government was as a result of the rescheduled flight.

He appealed to them to remain calm and patient, as efforts were being made to ensure their early airlift to Saudi Arabia.

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Religion

845 Ogun Intending Pilgrims Arrive Medina

By Web News 280

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Eight hundred and forty-five pilgrims of the first and second batches from Ogun State, led by officials of Ogun State Muslim intending Pilgrims Welfare Board, have arrived Medina, Saudi Arabia, to perform the holy pilgrimage.  

Confirming the arrival of the pilgrims to journalists in Medina, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Dauda Salau, said the third batch of intending pilgrims were expected to land before the end of the week, expressing gratitude to Allah for a safe journey.

Alhaji Salau attributed the success of the state’s Hajj operations so far to Governor Dapo Abiodun’s support, promising that the intending pilgrims would give a good account of themselves throughout the exercise.

He advised the pilgrims to keep in mind and utilised the information acquired from the sensitisation programmes organised for them prior to their departure, imploring them to follow the rules and obey the officials throughout their stay.

Reacting, one of the intending pilgrims, Alhaji Tijani Fadilullai, said the journey from the Hajj Camp in Lagos to Medina was flawless, commending the state officials for their diligence.

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Religion

First Batch of Osun Hajj Pilgrims Arrives Lagos

By Web News 486

By Folake Oye

387 Osun hajj pilgrims have successfully landed in Lagos.

The Secretary of the Board, Mr Bolaji Sanni made this known in a statement issued to newsmen on behalf of the Amir Hajj, Sheik Moruf Ishola.

Sheik Ishola also disclosed that the second batch of 385 contingents has already departed the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and due to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, any moment from now.

 Expressing his delight over the development, Sheik Ishola described the successful completion of all hajj rites in 2023 by the Osun Muslim contingent as a thing of joy and total glorification to almighty Allah for his love and mercies on the pilgrims.

 He appreciated the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke for providing necessary wherewithal that culminated into the success story of the pilgrimage.

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Religion

2023 Hajj: Airlift of Oyo Intending Pilgrims to Commence May 31

By Web News 1107

By Nafiu Busari

The airlift of intending Muslim pilgrims from Oyo State to the holy land in Saudi Arabia will commence on Wednesday 31st of May 2023.

The Chairman, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim’s Wing), Professor Sayed Malik disclosed this in a chat with newsmen at the Olodo Ibadan office of the Board.

Professor Malik also made it known that the first batch of the intending pilgrims, who were scheduled to be airlifted to the holy lands from Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, is expected to depart Ibadan for Lagos on Tuesday, 30th of May 2023.

While assuring that all preparations are being made to ensure that the airlifts of the Intending Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia were hitch-free, the State Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board Chairman admonished all those performing Hajj this year to be good ambassadors of the State and Country.

“We are striving to get Buses that will convey our intending pilgrims to Lagos, from where they will be airlifted to Mecca and Medina. We have also given them the necessary orientations on how to perform a successful hajj. My advice for the intending pilgrims is that they should make use of what we taught them by obeying Saudi laws”, Professor Malik stated.

He added that the Intending Pilgrims from the State are expected to leave the country in five batches, with the last batch departing the country on the 8th of June 2023.

“The departing schedule has been made. We have five flights, with the first coming up on the 31st of May. The last flight is expected to come up on the 8th of June 2023. We are also making necessary arrangements to ensure that our intending pilgrims do not wait for long in Lagos before departing for the holy lands”, the Board Chairman stated.

According to the Saudi-trained Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, the final medical screening/immunization for intending pilgrims from Ibadan, Ibarapa, Oyo and Ogbomoso as well as for state hajj officials and government delegates will hold tomorrow, Saturday 21st May 2023 at the state hajj camp in Olodo Ibadan.

He enjoined those yet to do their medical screening/immunization to make themselves available for the exercise on Saturday.

The exercise will continue on Tuesday next week in Saki for Intending Pilgrims from the Oke Ogun zone.

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Crime

NDLEA Arrests Intending Lesser Hajj Pilgrims with Cocaine

By Web News 703

By Olaolu Fawole

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, Lagos State, have arrested a widower, Ariyibi Ahmed Olaseinde and a divorcee, Akanbi Silifat Tunrayo who were going for lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia for attempting to export 14.4 kilograms of cocaine concealed in lace and ankara fabrics.

Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA in a statement on Sunday, said

Ariyibi was intercepted on Thursday 20th April at the screening point of MMIA Terminal 2 during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers travelling from Lagos via Doha to Medina, Saudi Arabia.

According to the statement, when his carry-on bag was checked, four sets of white lace material with linings of substance that tested positive to Cocaine weighing 11.50kg were discovered.

The suspect who claimed to be a widower and an advertising practitioner said his original plan was to ingest the drugs but had to change his mind after failed attempts to swallow bitter cola, which he was using to practice the process and he was expected to be paid One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,800,000) upon successful delivery of the consignment in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

It read further that, the previous day, Wednesday 19th April, NDLEA officers at the Terminal 2 of the airport also arrested Mrs. Silifat Tunrayo Akanbi with 2.90kg cocaine during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers from Lagos via Doha to Jedda, Saudi Arabia and a search of her hand luggage led to the discovery of six sheets of cocaine weighing 2.90kg concealed in ankara fabrics.

Babafemi said, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a divorcee and a trader who used to hawk cloths around Awoyaya area of Ajah, Lagos and based on information in her statement, a follow up operation that lasted through the night into the early hours of Thursday 20th April was carried out, during which the person who recruited her, Alhaji Adebayo Adeola Wasiu, managing director of a Travel Agency was arrested at Mushin, Lagos State.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers attached to courier companies have intercepted two drug consignments consisting of ecstasy and skunk going to United Arab Emirate. While the pills of ecstasy were concealed in a gold colour wedding gown, the skunk was hidden in a micro controller.

This is even as a 400-level Marine Engineering student at the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa state, Kelvin Ogenedoro has been arrested for dealing in 600grams of skunk. He was nabbed at the universitys gate in a follow up operation following the interception of the consignment in a commercial bus along Tombia-Amassoma road.

In Adamawa state, a notorious drug dealer, Sunday Ishaku Emzor (aka Lalas) who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2010 for drug offences, was on Thursday 20th April arrested for drug dealing. He was arrested at Hayin Gada, Imburu Numan LGA where he went to supply 1.650kg cannabis to an undercover operative. His Yellow Press Cub motorcycle used for supplying illicit drugs and a cash of N78,120 suspected to be proceed of the illegal business were recovered from him at the point of arrest.

On the same day in Kaduna, operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a truck conveying 110 bags and 200 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 1.223 tons (1,223kg) in Zaria while the truck driver, Adekunle Olanrewaju, 32, and his assistant, Tunde Jamiu, 20, were arrested.

In Edo State, a 42-year-old cripple, Lucky Aigberenmolen trading in illicit drugs on his wheelchair was arrested in a raid of drug joints in parts of the state. While Lucky was nabbed at Ekpoma, Esan West LGA with 1.3kg of Cannabis Sativa and 10 litres of Monkey Tail, another suspect, Mary David,46, was arrested at Ugbegun, Esan Central LGA with four litres of Monkey Tail and Osagiede Stephanie, 19, at Ekpoma, with various quantities of Colorado, Methamphetamine, and Molly. A 50kg cannabis stored in a bush ready for distribution was also recovered in Irrua area of the state.

While two suspects: Adeshina Olalekan and Christopher Joel, were arrested at Lektop hotel, Igbeba, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, with 39 litres of Skuchies, as well as various quantities of tramadol, and rophynol, operatives in Imo State intercepted a female suspect, Ijeoma Anyiam Loreza, 40, at Orogwe, Owerri North with 70 blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 30kg.

A notorious drug dealer in Okitipupa area of Ondo state, Mathew Obateru, 42, has also been taken into custody after different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Colorado and Loud were recovered from him. In Taraba, a suspect, Mohammed Usman was arrested on Monday 17th April in connection with the seizure of 10,009 pills of tramadol.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Kaduna, Edo, Ogun, Imo, Ondo and Taraba Commands of the Agency for the excellent job done in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the bar of professionalism in the daily discharge of their responsibilities.

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Religion

Hajj 2022: Last Batch of Oyo Pilgrims Arrives

By Web News 525

The last batch of Oyo State Pilgrims to return from Saudi Arabia has successfully arrived.

The batch of Sixty aboard Flynas XY7036 Airline which left Jedda Airport around 1:00am Nigerian time, landed at the Muritala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos State exactly 6:50am.

The  Pilgrims were led by the Vice-chairman, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare, Board Muslim Wing, Dr Ibrahim Adebolu.

While thanking Almighty Allah for the successful performance of the spiritual exercise, as no crime or casualty was recorded, Dr Adebolu also appreciate the unflinching support given to the Board by the Executive Governor of the State, Engineer Seyi Makinde for making the exercise an easy task for all the pilgrims.

Adebolu acknowledged the good conduct and cooperation of all the pilgrims from the State during the exercise.

He enjoined them to let the teachings of Hajj mirror their conduct in relating with others.

Recall that a total number of Six hundred and Fifty-five Pilgrims including officials were airlifted by Oyo State for the spiritual exercise in four batches.

The arrival of the fourth batch makes it the final batch expected to return from the Holy Land.

Oluwakayode Banjo

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Religion

First Batch of Oyo 2022 Hajj Pilgrims Return Home

By Web News 574

No fewer than 262 Oyo State pilgrims that took part in the 2022 holy pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia have landed in Nigeria safely.

The pilgrims arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Some of the pilgrims thanked Almighty Allah for His mercy throughout the spiritual exercise

The aircraft conveying the pilgrims back to Nigeria took off at 2 am Nigerian time 

Recall that the first batch of the pilgrims from the state left Ibadan on Saturday 21st of May 2022 and were airlifted to holy lands about twenty hours later.

On the flight were some government functionaries including, the Head of the service, Alhaja Ololade Agboola, and the Executive Secretary of the Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Muhideen Olatunji, among others.

The remaining batches of Oyo State Pilgrims are expected to return to the country later.

Oluwakayode Banjo

Religion

Saudi Arabia Launches E-service for Umrah Pilgrims to get Visas in 24 Hours

By Web News 870

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia says it has launched an electronic service for Umrah pilgrims to access visas within 24 hours. 

With the launch, Muslims from Nigeria and other countries around the world planning to attend Umrah can now individually apply for the visa through a designated web service. 

Umrah is the non-mandatory lesser pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca, which may be performed at any time of the year.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister of hajj and umrah in Saudi Arabia, said the Umrah visa validity has also been extended from one month to three months.

Tawfiq added that “the visit visa for Umrah will be issued now within 24 hours”.

He said pilgrims who visit the kingdom to perform umrah can also visit other Saudi cities without any restraints.

The minister said one million people are expected to perform hajj in 2022, including 85 percent as foreigners.

He said the ministry and other related agencies are working to ensure the safety of all pilgrims, adding that, digital technologies would help organise the 2022 hajj better.

Cable/Taiwo Akinola