Yakubu Bala, Secretary to Kebbi State Government (SSG), has explained reasons for the change of venue for the transportation of the state prospective pilgrims from Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, to Sokoto.
The SSG disclosed this while addressing newsmen on the new development in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
The Kebbi State prospective pilgrims were initially billed to take-off from Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
Bala recalled that there was an agreement between the Kebbi State Government and the Flynas Airline that: “The company will come here (Kebbi) to airlift our intending pilgrims for Saudi Arabia and bring them back to Kebbi after they might have performed their pilgrimage.
“In view of this, government had installed all the needed facilities in the airport as requested by the company.
“This facility upgrade had even earned the state commendation from the National Hajj Commission as well as Federal Airports Authority.”
He said the company again complained of aviation fuel and hotel accommodation while the state government agreed to supply them with the fuel even though it was not its duty to do so.
According to him, the duo assured the state government that the prospective pilgrims will be transported from Kebbi, adding that the authorities concerned then deployed Federal Fire Service staff and other personnel aiding air operation to facilitate smooth take-off.
“Concerning accommodation, we have assured them that we have five star hotels here in Kebbi like Azbir, Safar and Nuggett and several others, but they later talked about food vendors. At last, they finalised that the take-off must be from Sokoto not Kebbi,” he noted.
He, however, lamented that upon all the efforts, government received a letter from the Flynas Airline that: “Our intending pilgrims must go to Sokoto for take-off.”
The SSG said the scheduled time for the take-off remained Saturday, at the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto.
While advising the pilgrims to pray for Nigeria and Kebbi, the SSG urged them to be disciplined and law abiding citizens.
