By Umar Dankano Yola.
No fewer than 1,652 intending Christian and Muslim pilgrims are expected to perform the 2026 Christian pilgrimage and 2027 hajj pilgrimage respectively from Adamawa state.
The executive secretaries of both the Christian and Muslim pilgrims welfare boards disclosed the developments during a separate interview in Yola on Monday stressing that all preparations are on top gear to ensuring a successful and hitch-free pilgrimages .
Executive Secretary of the Adamawa state Christian pilgrims welfare board,(CPWB) Chief Geoffrey Garba said that the board has received approval of about 700 intending pilgrims to perform 2026 Christian pilgrimage including 500 from state headquarters,120 from the 21 local government areas with the remaining 80 as self sponsored.
” We have received the approval from His Excellency Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for 500 from state,120 from LGA while the remaining about 80 are self sponsored intending pilgrims”.Garba stated.
Garba explained that forms have distributed to the intending pilgrims and they have completed and returned them to the board and the screening exercise has commenced from the 28th to 30 of September .
Garba pointed out that the screening is being undertaken by the officials of the board,NDLEA officials, security operatives from the Immigration service, Police and the Department of the state security,DSS under the supervision of the officials of the National Christian pilgrims Commission,NCPC.
“This screening is rigorous and rigid just to make sure no room for any pilgrim to abscond if in the holy land because in 2025 two intending pilgrims were suspected to have the intention to abscond and were dropped immediately”.Garba emphasized
He maintained that the National commission is planning a pre-visit of the officials to Israel in October to inspect booked hotels for accommodations and to finalize approval for holy sites to visit by the pilgrims.
Similarly, the executive Secretary of the Adamawa state Muslims Pilgrim welfare board, ADSMPWB. Alhaji Salihu Abubaka r announced that the state had secured a total of 952 hajj seats for the 2027 hajj pilgrimage.
Abubakar confirmed that the seats have already been paid for and that very soon his team will travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for booking of hotels for accommodations to the intending pilgrims and to engage professional caterers for feeding considerations .
Abubakar added that during the visit, they also book for the rented tents to be used by intending pilgrims at Arafat,mina and musdalifa religious sites noting that the National Hajj Commission will deal with the airliners and transportation of pilgrims while in Mecca and Medina for the pilgrimage.
He announced that in the next two months, his board will mobilize for the enlightenment and Sensitization of the intending pilgrims as their visas upload will commence by next week.
He also said the visas are expected to start dropping by the month of February 2027 with the airlift of intending pilgrims to commence in April all things being equal.
The executive secretaries of the two boards expressed gratitude to the Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and the two national commissions of both that of the Christian and Muslim for their support and cooperation at all times.
