By Abdullahi Yusuf

1. Max Air VM273 departs Jeddah to Bauchi at 07:17hrs with 551 Plateau pilgrims and 7 officials, bringing total returnees to 15,783 across 37 flights.

2. Flynas XY9084 departs to Sokoto at 06:27hrs with 423 pilgrims and 6 officials(Zamfara: 422; Sokoto: 1).

3. UMZA UY3483 flew 480 pilgrims to Minna on 21/06/2025, including 3 officials. (Niger: 479; Kaduna: 1).

4. Air Peace APK7908 returns 315 Ondo pilgrims and 1 official to Ilorin at 15:08hrs.

5. First batch of Adamawa State pilgrims arrives Yola safely, as Nigeria’s return phase gains pace.

6. Kaduna pilgrims return over ₦14 million in cash and valuables, including 8 million Naira-equivalent foreign currency and phones found at the Haram. The honest acts, led by pilgrim Shafi’u Abdul’aziz, were hailed by the Kaduna Pilgrims Welfare Agency.

7. NAHCON team inspects clinics in Makkah, led by Commissioner Prof. Abubakar Yagawal, covering facilities at Shari’ Sittin, Misfalah, Kano & Niger outposts. Accompanied by reps from the Ministry of Health and the national medical team.

8. Indonesia’s anti-graft body confirms special Hajj quota corruption extended beyond 2024, as KPK Chairperson Setyo Budiyanto affirms ongoing investigations. Ex-Minister Yaqut may be implicated pending further inquiries.

9. The largest Hajj ever was in 2012, with over 3.16 million pilgrims, including 1.7 million from outside Saudi Arabia.

10. Fun fact: More than 180 countries are represented in Hajj each year, making it the most diverse annual gathering on Earth.

11. Fun fact: There’s a dedicated Hajj terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, specifically for pilgrims.

12. Did you know? Temporary hospitals, kitchens, and sanitation services are scaled up to accommodate over a million people within days.

13. Fun fact: Even robots are now used in Makkah to distribute Zamzam water and sterilize prayer areas!

14. Did you know? In 2020, only citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia were allowed to perform Hajj — all under age and health restrictions.

15. Fun fact: The 2020–2022 Hajj seasonshad no international flights for pilgrims, the first time in modern history.

16. Did you know? The reduction in numbers during the pandemic was used to test future crowd-control technologies.

17. Fun fact: In recent years, Hajj apps allow pilgrims to track schedules, maps, and perform virtual training before arriving.