By Haroon Balogun

The Oyo State Muslim Welfare Board may consider the airlift of intending pilgrims from the state to Lagos before their final flight to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.

The board’s Chairman, Alhaji Taofeek Akewugberu, made this known to newsmen in a telephone interview in Ibadan.

Akewugberu said  airlift of  pilgrims to Lagos was being considered in order  to ease  the hardship often  encountered by commuters  on the Lagos-Ibadan express way.

He, however, said that the plan had yet to be concluded, adding that the board was still working on the  logistic arrangement of ensuring its success.

Akewugberu also said that a total number of 1,251 intending pilgrims from the state  would perform this year’s  Hajj.

He said some pregnant women and those who failed the  test on basic Islamic tenets had been dropped from the list of intending pilgrims.

The board chairman  also said  that the takeoff date to Saudi Arabia for  intending pilgrims from the state remains between  Sept. 4  and Sept. 5.

He also said  every intending pilgrim would be subjected to a  test for the Ebola Virus Disease before departure  from the state Hajj camp and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
Akewugberu advised pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the state.