The first batch of pilgrims who performed the 2018 hajj from Zamfara returned home on Wednesday.
The Public Relations Officer of the state hajj commission, Malam Yakub-Yahaya Talata-Mafara, disclosed this in Gusau.
Talata-Mafara said the first flight arrived at the Sultan Abubakar lll International Airport Sokoto today.
He said that the flight arrived around 9 a.m. with 552 pilgrims from Bukkuyum, Birnin-Magaji, Kaura-Namoda, Zurmi and Tsafe local government areas.
According to him, the second flight is expected to return to Nigeria on Thursday.
“As I am speaking to you now, pilgrims on the second flight are already being processed for departure at King Abdul’aziz International Airport, Jeddah, so any moment from now they would be back in Nigeria.
“According to our schedule, on the 22nd of this month, our third and fourth flights would be back to Nigeria, Insha Allah.”
NAN recalls that the three local government chairmen from the state died in Saudi Arabia on their way from Makkah to Madina.
The deceased were among the 2,158 pilgrims who performed the hajj from Zamfara.
The remains of the deceased were buried in Saudi Arabia.