The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has cautioned pilgrims performing the 2026 Hajj against carrying excess luggage, warning that it could disrupt and delay their return flights from Saudi Arabia.
Chairman of the Agency’s Preaching Sub-Committee, Sheikh Haliru Maraya, gave the warning while addressing pilgrims after the Zuhr prayer at their Ibrahim Khalil residence in Makkah.
He urged the pilgrims to strictly comply with the approved baggage limits for all categories of luggage and adhere to airport regulations at Prince Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to ensure a smooth return journey.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, Malam Ibraheem Musa, the airlift of Kaduna pilgrims back to Nigeria is scheduled to begin on June 15, 2026.
Sheikh Maraya also called on the pilgrims to remain good ambassadors of Kaduna State by obeying all rules and regulations throughout the return process.
He warned that the agency would sanction any pilgrim found encouraging others to violate established procedures, stressing that Kaduna State is renowned for its respect for law and order.
The cleric noted that Governor Uba Sani’s public service record has consistently been guided by due process and the rule of law, cautioning pilgrims against invoking the governor’s name to seek exemptions from established regulations.
Maraya further highlighted the dangers associated with excess luggage, recalling two tragic air disasters involving Nigerian pilgrims.
He said that on January 22, 1973 (Dhul-Hijjah 18, 1392 AH), an aircraft carrying Nigerian pilgrims crashed, claiming 176 lives out of the 202 people on board.
He also cited another crash on July 11, 1991 (Dhul-Hijjah 29, 1411 AH), when a plane carrying Nigerian pilgrims went down shortly after takeoff from Jeddah, killing 261 people, including 247 passengers and 14 crew members.
The cleric urged pilgrims to prioritise safety and comply fully with baggage regulations to avoid complications during the return airlift operation.
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