A three-day intensive screening exercise has commenced in Abeokuta for intending Muslim pilgrims from Ogun State for this year’s holy pilgrimage to Makkah.

Chairman of the Board, Dr. Ishaq Yusuf said the exercise which was embarked upon by the Board was aimed at determining the Islamic Religious Knowledge, immigration status and criminal records of the intending pilgrims.

“Any Muslim intending pilgrim should know the importance of five pillars of Islam, how to perform the five daily prayers, must be a Nigerian and free of criminal records. If any pilgrim was found not successful in any of the screening exercise, he or she will be asked to re-apply or declared unfit to perform the hajj exercise”, he said.

He called on the pilgrims to always put the religious essence of the hajj exercise first in anything they do, adding that they should be good ambassadors of the State during the exercise.

Meanwhile, Immigration Officials present at the screening exercise added that part of the screening was to ascertain the nationality of the intending Muslim pilgrims, and ensure they have valid Nigeria E-passport not less than six months to the expiration date.