The Kwara State Government has launched the 2026 Hajj exercise with the departure of 374 pilgrims from the General Tunde Idi-Agbon International Airport in Ilorin. They flew aboard a Max Air aircraft at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, bound for Madinah in Saudi Arabia. The group includes two officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and one state official. A statement by Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, confirmed that 1,714 pilgrims from Kwara are participating in this year's pilgrimage.
The governor, represented by his Special Adviser and Counsellor Saadu Salaudeen, urged the pilgrims to obey Saudi laws and serve as ambassadors of Kwara and Nigeria. He asked them to pray for peace in the state and nation. He also directed them to follow instructions from the Amirul Hajj, His Royal Highness the Etsu Tsaragi, Abdullahi Aliyu, and officials of the Kwara State Pilgrims Board.
Abdullahi Aliyu pledged to safeguard the welfare of the pilgrims, stating he had promised the governor they would not be let down. He expressed confidence that Kwara pilgrims would have the best experience. Executive Secretary Abdulkadir Abdulsalam of the Kwara State Pilgrims Welfare Board said medical personnel and food supplies, including yam flour, pounded yam and garri, were sent with the group. He said arrangements were in place for meals in Madinah.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq insists pilgrims follow Saudi rules while Kwara officials bring local food to ease discomfort abroad. The same state urging strict compliance with foreign laws is simultaneously importing Nigerian dietary habits into the pilgrimage. If cultural comfort is prioritised, the call for full adherence to host-country regulations becomes selective. For the 374 pilgrims, obedience may depend on which directive comes from home.
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