Oyo Intending Pilgrims Protest Over Delay In Airlifting

Hundreds of intending pilgrims from Oyo State today stormed the state governor’s office to protest over the delay in air lifting after Governor Seyi Makinde had bid them goodbye days ago.

First Weekly Magazine gathered that some of the stranded pilgrims had concluded their travelling processes and we’re awaiting their movement to Lagos before proceeding to the Holy land.

Those, who spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the process was hijacked by politicians, who manipulated the list to favour their close friends, a development which hallted the departure of those who had been screened for the journey.

The Governor, addressed the 151 intending pilgrims, who went to lodge complaints about the issue, stated that the delay in their airlifting due to the quota given to the state by the National Hajj Commission.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted him as saying that he would look into the matter and provide solutions.

The Governor was said to have added that information reaching him was that the National Hajj Commission promised to restore the initial 150 slots it cancelled for the state, and that once that is done, he would ensure that they are airlifted as soon as possible.

He said: “Sincerely speaking, I have noted all your complaints. Yesternight, I had a meeting with the committee to understand how we got into this problem. Just like you said, fair is fair and I told them that the additional quota of 150 was not supposed to be mixed with the existing people on the list. So, I agree totally with you.

“I got information from one of my aides that the Hajj Commission is trying to restore the 150 for us. The mistake that happened was that no one should have been removed from the 629 slated for the first batch,” he said.

-Kunle Bakare.