By Abdullahi Yusuf 

1. As of today, MaxAir flight NGL262 from Dutse to Jeddah carried 398 pilgrims (312 males, 86 females) from Jigawa and Bauchi. Total pilgrims airlifted: 35,247 via 86 flights. 15 states completed airlifting, 13 in progress, 9 yet to start.

2. Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board completed airlifting the second and final batch of 368 pilgrims from Taura, Buji, and Birnin Kudu LGAs, departing from Nuhu Muhammadu Sunusi International Airport, Dutse. The first batch of 550 had been airlifted earlier Monday.

3. A British group of five adventurers aged 27-47 is sailing 7,400 km from the UK to Makkah for Hajj, overcoming challenges like a boat leak and raising thousands for charity. They set off April 1 and expect to arrive this week.

4. 376 Filipino pilgrims have safely arrived in Madinah for the annual 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.

5. Nepal’s Minister for Water Supply, Pradeep Yadav, bade farewell to 55 Nepali Muslim pilgrims departing in the first phase from Tribhuvan International Airport. A total of 1,171 Nepali Muslims will undertake Hajj this year.

6. The Class I Special Immigration Office at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Indonesia, stopped 264 prospective pilgrims from departing with invalid or non-procedural Hajj visas.

7. NAHCON cautions Nigerian pilgrims against picking up lost items during Tawaf to prevent being profiled or accused of theft.

8. Borno State Government airlifted the final batch of 270 pilgrims from Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri, accompanied by Deputy Governor Dr. Umar Kadafur and Hajj Committee Chairman Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (SAN).

9. The UAE’s preparatory Hajj mission arrived in Saudi Arabia to manage administrative, medical, and logistical preparations at Makkah headquarters, inspecting Mina and Arafat facilities for UAE pilgrims.

10. Prince Saud bin Mishal inspected Hajj terminals at King Abdulaziz Airport, Jeddah, reviewing the Makkah Route Initiative and service readiness, under the direction of Emir Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.

11. Saudi Ministry of Interior arrested multiple individuals for illegal Hajj transportation: an Indian resident caught transporting 22 people without permits, and 12 expatriates plus 8 Saudis caught transporting 60 unauthorized pilgrims. Penalties include fines up to 100,000 SAR, imprisonment, deportation, vehicle confiscation, and 10-year re-entry bans.

12. NAHCON held an emergency Nusuk Card drive in Makkah chaired by Deputy Coordinator Alidu Shutti to ensure all Nigerian pilgrims obtain mandatory Nusuk ID cards. Stakeholders agreed to deploy Nusuk Desk Officers across all states, establish a centralized platform for real-time issue resolution, and increase public awareness, stressing the Nusuk card as the essential “pilgrim’s passport” for access to Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah, and the Haram.