Lagos pilgrims return to Makkah from Madinah

About 3115 pilgrims from Lagos state are now in the holy land, Makkah Saudi Arabia performing the annual pilgrimage.  They were airlifted from Lagos to Madina where they spent a few days before they were airlifted back to Makkah yesterday.

According to reports, the pilgrims led by the chairman of the State Pilgrims Board, Dr. Paramole, were airlifted in batches from Madina to Makkah and will begin tawaf at the Holy House of God, Kaaba, today.

They will also do siyarah at Muna, Muzdhalifah among other places over the weekend.

Dr. Paramole who spoke to Facing the kaaba over the telephone confirmed that all the pilgrims were in good state of health.  He added that about 30 medical doctors in various specialities are there to offer quick service to pilgrims.

He also disclosed that governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has provided enough foodstuff for the pilgrims.  “We have some of our indegenous food itmes like garri, rice, elubo for our pilgrims courtesy of the Lagos State government.  So, we are ensuring that our pilgrims dont lack anything,” he stated.

Saudi: Ministry orders clean environment at holy sites

The Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia has urged Haj service companies and establishments to maintain cleanliness of pilgrim tents and the areas surrounding the holy sites in a bid to ensure an environmentally clean Hajj season.

The ministry also directed Hajj service establishments to collaborate with the Makkah Municipality in order to maintain high levels of hygiene at the holy sites.

Managing waste in holy places, especially in Mina, is a tough challenge for the municipality. The holy city produces an estimated 1 million tons of waste annually. Efforts are underway to establish a solid-waste processing plant in Makkah, with investments estimated to reach SR3 billion, report from the Saudi stated stated.

We gathered that a circular was issued by the Ministry of Hajj advising Hajj service establishments to benefit from the cleaning facilities available at Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. The companies were directed to make sure that their workers deposit waste in compression boxes or take the waste to the nearest dumping facility and avoid littering around their tents or other places, the statement read.