The Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr Ibrahim Layode, on Saturday said, 1,400 intending pilgrims including officials from the State will perform the 2025 Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Layode disclosed this during a free medical screening for intending pilgrims in Badagry.
According to him, 1,400 bed spaces have been arranged for them, noting that the state will not provide for additional pilgrims because arrangement have been concluded.
He said the state had organised the free medical screening to ensure that they are free from diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV and other contagious diseases.
“Mr governor has said we should ensure that each one of them go through this screening to know about their health challenges.” Layode
He explained that, Previous years, a lot of people faced different health challenges, because there was no time to go through health check and someone got stocked at the Hajj for about four months due to health challenges.
According to him, there is the need to be healthy to perform the Hajj right, and the governor has made it seamless by making it free for all intending pilgrims preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Also, Alhaji Abdul-Akeem Ajumade, the newly appointed Secretary of Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board, urged the intending pilgrims to take advantage of the screening to check and know their health status.
Dr Mazida Terinoso, Coordinator of the medical screening, urged the intending pilgrims to ensure they did as governor has mandated it.
“We are doing the exercise in all local governments in Lagos, but today and Sunday have been assigned to Badagry and Ajeromi local governments,” she said.
One of the intending pilgrims, Mr Ismail Tajudeen, commended the state government for organising the free exercise.
“Gov. Sanwo-Olu has done a very good job by making sure we are given very good medical attention before moving to Saudi Arabia.
“We sincerely appreciate this and hope that this will continue with the years coming,” he said.
Mrs Kafayat Tolani, another intending pilgrim from Badagry, said: “Initially they told us we were going to pay for this medical and to our surprise, we are getting this done for us for free, in fact we are so happy.(NAN)
