Kaduna State's Pilgrims Welfare Agency has warned travelers to stick to weight limits for their luggage. Excess baggage could delay their flights back to Nigeria, officials cautioned.
Sheikh Haliru Maraya, Chairman of the Preaching Sub-Committee, issued the warning after afternoon prayers. He spoke to pilgrims at their Ibrahim Khalil residence in Makkah.
Maraya urged the travelers to follow airport rules at Prince Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah. He emphasized the importance of strict compliance with all protocols.
According to a statement by Governor Uba Sani's Chief Press Secretary, Malam Ibraheem Musa, the homebound airlift begins June 15, 2026. The announcement came on Sunday.
The Islamic scholar called on pilgrims to represent Kaduna State with dignity. Breaking established rules would not be tolerated, he made clear.
Maraya warned that sanctions await anyone who encourages others to violate regulations. Kaduna State, he noted, prides itself on lawfulness and order.
Governor Sani's entire career reflects commitment to due process. The governor served as an activist, senator, and now leads the state—always respecting the rule of law.
Pilgrims shouldn't invoke the governor's name to justify breaking rules. Maraya was blunt about this expectation.
Heavy luggage carries dangerous consequences, the cleric warned gravely. He pointed to two deadly crashes involving Nigerian pilgrims decades ago.
On January 22, 1973—Dhul-Hijjah 18, 1392 in the Islamic calendar—a plane crashed. Of 202 people aboard, 176 perished.
Another tragedy occurred on July 11, 1991, equivalent to Dhul-Hijjah 29, 1411. Nigerian pilgrims were killed when their aircraft crashed at Jeddah shortly after takeoff.
That 1991 disaster claimed 261 lives total. Among them were 247 passengers and 14 crew members.
Maraya's historical references underscored a simple message: excess weight endangers lives. The warnings weren't merely bureaucratic—they were rooted in real tragedy.
