By Abdullahi Yusuf

1. Flight XY9080 departs Jeddah to Lagos at 07:31hrs with 420 pilgrims and 10 officials, comprising Ogun (224) and Osun (196). Total Return Airlift: 10,964 Nigerian pilgrims across 26 flights.

2. Max Air Flight NGL2002 takes off from Jeddah to Lagos at 04:04hrs with 533 pilgrims and 16 officials, including Oyo (528), Kano (1), Gombe (1), and Plateau (3).

3. Flynas Flight XY9078 departs Jeddah to Lagos at 16:26hrs with 422 pilgrims and 6 officials, carrying Ogun (242) and Osun (180) pilgrims.

4. UMZA Flight VM3459 airlifts 480 Niger pilgrims and 5 officials, departing Jeddah to Minna at 17:28hrs.

5. The second batch of Ogun pilgrims have arrived safely in Lagos, after departure from Jeddah.

6. Max Air Flight NGL2002 with Oyo pilgrims lands safely in Lagos also, concluding the state’s return airlift.

7. FCT pilgrims begin luggage weighing ahead of Saturday’s return journey, with strict compliance to the 32kg baggage limit.

8. Iraq completes return of all Hajj pilgrims by land, with elderly pilgrims flown via Basra Airport. Reports says the return through Arar border was smooth and incident-free.

9. Bahrain’s Information Minister receives Hajj Media Committee, commends their coverage and the royal commitment to facilitating pilgrim welfare.

10. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauds Religious Affairs Ministry over successful Hajj ops, confers shield of honour on the Minister. DG Hajj Jeddah, Abdul Wahab Soomro, joins via video link.

11. The Saudi authorities are implementing a smart waste management system with IoT sensors in bins at holy sites, flagging full containers for quicker pickup to keep the grounds clean during hajj rituals.

12. Did you know? The number of youth volunteers (Saudi and foreign) has increased by over 60%, up to nearly 1,100 trained helpers during Hajj 1446 AH.

13. Did you know? Over 1.4 million Nusuk smart cards were issued this year. For 1447 AH, even more advanced, multi-service cards are planned to be made available.

14. Fun fact: Pilgrim healthcare capacity was increased by 60% this year, including virtual health services, a trend that will expand further in 1447 AH.

15. Did you know? The Haram complex now has its own hospital, fire station, and around-the-clock lost-and-found dedicated to pilgrims’ needs.

16. Did you know? The Haram high-speed lifts and escalators have been upgraded to move over 2 million pilgrims during peak busy times.