Hon. Iyepe Charges 340 Pilgrims on Patience, Discipline Ahead of Hajj Trip
Pilgrims embarking on this year’s Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia with AbdulLateef Hajj Travels have been urged to exercise extreme patience while in the holy land and accord priority to the significance behind the spiritual journey.
They were also advised to shun all acts that could land them in trouble in Saudi Arabia, while taking full responsibility for their luggage at every point of the journey.
The Managing Director of the group, Dr. AbdulLateef Abdulhakeem, gave this advice during the one-day seminar for the pilgrims held at AbdulLateef Hajj Travels, Omole Phase 1, Ojodu, Lagos.
According to him, the pilgrims must ensure that the stickers given to them by the Saudi authorities are attached to their luggage and bags for proper identification, tracing in case of loss, and easy return to the owners.
He disclosed that convenient accommodation has been secured for the pilgrims in Mecca, adding that the same arrangement has been made for Madinah despite the challenges sometimes faced by agents.
The former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs and former Amirul Hajj also enjoined the 340 pilgrims to prioritize observing their solats at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, where prayers are rewarded as much as 1,000 times, while prayers at the mosque in Palestine are rewarded 500 times and those at Masjidil Haram, Mecca, 100,000 times.
While reassuring the pilgrims of a hitch-free Hajj exercise, Dr. Abdulhakeem promised that they would embark on historical sightseeing visits to Masjid Quba, Masjid Qiblatain, and the site of the Battle of Uhud, among others.
While addressing the 340 pilgrims, including 90 from the diaspora, the boss of AbdulLateef Hajj Travels further revealed that all the pilgrims had undergone full medical screening, while vaccination exercises are scheduled to be administered by the Port Health Authority before departure.
He added that 90 pilgrims from the diaspora would join the group in Madinah, making the operation a transnational coordination effort.
Hon. AbdulLateef noted that managing 340 pilgrims is modest compared to his past experience as Amirul Hajj for Lagos State, where he once led over 4,000 pilgrims in successful Hajj operations, often managing welfare, training, and logistics.
The former Chairman of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Hon. Dr. Abdulhakeem AbdulLateef, said that the operation reflects months of structured planning, religious orientation, and strict compliance with regulatory frameworks issued by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and Saudi authorities.
He prayed for divine assistance for all pilgrims, asking Allah to make the 2026 Hajj easy, acceptable, and spiritually rewarding for all participants.
The first batch of pilgrims from the group will depart with Qatar Airways on the morning of May 11, while the second batch will depart with EgyptAir in the afternoon of the same day.
According to him, the third and fourth batches will depart with Qatar Airways on the morning of May 14, while the fifth batch will depart with Qatar Airways on May 15, as the sixth batch will depart with Emirates Airline in the afternoon of the same day.
