Gombe state has unveiled its transportation plan for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage, with a total of 2,556 intending pilgrims set to be transported from Gombe to Saudi Arabia via Air Peace Airlines.

Sa’adu Adamu, the executive secretary of the Gombe state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, made the announcement during a press briefing held in Gombe on Thursday.

According to Mr. Adamu, the first group of pilgrims is scheduled to depart on June 3. Due to the limited capacity of the aircraft, the transportation process will be conducted in approximately nine separate batches.

Air Peace Airlines was selected as the carrier for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage due to its newly established status. The board expects that the transportation process for the pilgrims will be completed within nine days.

Mr. Adamu also noted that there have been some changes in the accommodation arrangements for the pilgrims.

Ongoing reconstruction in Saudi Arabia has led to the relocation of the previous accommodations to different buildings within the same area.

The board made this decision to ensure familiarity with the surroundings and took significant efforts to secure suitable lodging for the intending pilgrims.

Addressing the increased fees for the pilgrimage, which now stand at $250 per pilgrim, the executive secretary clarified that the federal government has intervened by subsidizing $150 per pilgrim.

He noted that Gombe state government has contributed by reducing the Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) for intending pilgrims from $800. These measures were taken to alleviate the financial burden on the pilgrims.

The fee increment was deemed necessary due to the additional fuel consumption incurred by airlines while bypassing Sudan, where prevailing conflicts in the region have prohibited planes from flying over Sudan, resulting in longer flight routes and increased costs.