The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to prevent delays in the airlift of intending pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj.

The board made the appeal during a visit by a delegation from the commission to Kano, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, Sulaiman Dederi.

Director-General of the board, Abubakar Matawalle, said all arrangements for intending pilgrims had been completed, stressing the need for a timely airlift to ensure a smooth exercise.

“We have finalised all arrangements for our intending pilgrims and expect that there will be no unnecessary delays from air carriers when the airlift begins,” Matawalle said.

Earlier, the head of the delegation and NAHCON Commissioner for the North-West, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Usman, said the visit was to assess facilities provided for pilgrims in the state.

He noted that the team had toured several states in the zone to ensure readiness for the exercise.

Usman assured all that concerns raised by the board would be communicated to the commission’s headquarters for necessary action.

Also, the NAHCON Zonal Director for Kano, Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad Kalgo, commended the board for its level of preparedness and urged it to sustain sensitisation programmes for intending pilgrims.