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Hajj 2026: First Batch of 344 Lagos Pilgrims Return Nigeria
The first batch of 344 Lagos State pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has returned to Nigeria.
A statement by the Lagos state government said the pilgrims arrived in Lagos on Monday aboard Flynas flight XY9492, which departed Jeddah and landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 7:37 p.m. Nigerian time.
Officials of the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board received the returnees at the airport following the successful completion of the religious exercise in the Holy Land.
Speaking after the arrival, the Chairman of the Dawah and Enlightenment Committee, Prof. Kabir Paramole, who led other officials on the first return flight, expressed happiness over the safe journey back home.
He said the spiritual significance of the pilgrimage could not be overemphasised and prayed for the safe return of other Lagos pilgrims still awaiting airlift from Saudi Arabia.
According to the schedule released by the authorities, the second batch of 345 pilgrims is expected to depart Makkah on Wednesday, June 10, while the final return flight is scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Medical Team Lead, Dr. Mazeedat Erinosho, commended the overall health condition of the Lagos pilgrims during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
She described the health situation throughout the exercise as encouraging and impressive.
Speaking on the activities of the medical team, Dr. Erinosho explained that comprehensive medical screening was carried out in January 2026 for the 1,600 intending pilgrims from Lagos State.
According to her, the screening included blood pressure and blood sugar tests, as well as checks for tuberculosis, HIV, and Hepatitis B.
She added that pregnancy tests were also conducted for women of reproductive age between 16 and 50 years from April 30 to May 1, 2026, in line with the requirements of Saudi Arabian health authorities.
Dr. Erinosho further disclosed that pilgrims with serious health concerns were identified early and closely monitored to ensure they were medically fit for the pilgrimage.
She said the medical team also organised health awareness sessions during weekend lectures across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
The sensitisation programmes, according to her, focused on proper hydration, regular use of face masks, and compliance with prescribed medications.
She noted that the Lagos medical team also worked with Port Health Services to ensure proper vaccination of the pilgrims before departure.
Dr. Erinosho stated that throughout the pilgrims’ stay in Madinah, Makkah, and Mina, the Lagos medical team collaborated with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, medical team to attend to emergencies, clinic visits, and referrals to hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
“During the pilgrims’ stay in Madinah, Makkah, and Mina, the Lagos medical team, in partnership with the NAHCON medical team, attended to emergencies, clinic visits, and referrals to Saudi Arabian hospitals,” Dr. Erinosho said.
She explained that affected pilgrims were properly monitored until discharge and continued to receive personalised medical attention in their hotel rooms where necessary.
The medical team lead added that pilgrims also had access to medications and consultations immediately after returning from Mina until their departure back to Nigeria.
She said the efforts of the medical personnel contributed significantly to the reduction of health-related challenges and the successful outcome of the 2026 Hajj exercise for Lagos pilgrims.
“These efforts greatly contributed to the reduction in health challenges and the overall success of the exercise,” Dr. Erinosho added.
Recall that DAILY POST had earlier reported in May 2026 that Lagos state government has announced that all 1,600 pilgrims from Lagos State have been successfully airlifted to Makkah for the 2026 Hajj exercise.
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POLITICS: Wike-led PDP Faction Takes Over Party Secretariat In Oyo
Members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, have taken over the secretariat of the party in Oyo State.
The secretariat, located in the Molete area of Ibadan, was in the custody of the faction loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde of the state until Thursday when the members loyal to Wike took over the premises.
DAILY POST gathered that the PDP members stormed the secretariat on Thursday and occupied the premises with hundreds of members of the party in attendance.
PDP chairman in the state, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso, confirmed the development to DAILY POST.
Akinoso in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, insisted that the real owners have taken over the premises.
He said, “It is true. It is not faction. It is PDP. We have taken over the premises. It was in the morning. We were there in the morning. We just left the premises. We are now in control. We have taken over the premises.” .…For more, Complete your reading.
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POLITICS: Foreign Recognition Won’t Secure Re-election – ADC Tells Tinubu
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has told President Bola Tinubu that foreign recognition will not secure him another term in office, insisting that Nigerians will judge his administration by its performance, not by diplomatic gestures from other world leaders.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party reacted to the Presidency’s celebration of a purported letter from United States President Donald Trump to Tinubu.
The ADC said presenting the letter as an endorsement of Tinubu’s administration was misleading, stressing that diplomatic correspondence between world leaders is a normal part of international relations.
“The Presidency’s attempt to present President Donald Trump’s letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as though it were a referendum on the state of the nation is not correct,” the party said.
According to the ADC, countries cooperate, leaders exchange views and letters regularly, adding that such communication does not amount to an endorsement of a government’s performance.
The party accused the Tinubu administration of being desperate for international validation instead of focusing on solving Nigeria’s challenges.
“It is apparent that this administration is desperate to seize upon any gesture of international recognition as proof of success at home,” the statement said.
The ADC maintained that “a letter from a foreign president, however well-intentioned, cannot substitute for the verdict of the Nigerian people.”
It added that the true measure of any government is not what foreign leaders say about it, but what citizens experience daily.
The opposition party argued that Trump’s letter had not changed the reality facing millions of Nigerians, especially those affected by insecurity.
“For the millions of Nigerians still living with the consequences of this government’s failures, President Trump’s communication changes nothing. It did not say that insecurity has been overcome or that Nigerians can once again travel freely, farm safely and sleep without fear,” the party stated.
The ADC also pointed to the continued captivity of hundreds of women and children in parts of Borno State and Kaiama in Kwara State, while many communities in Benue and other parts of the country still live in constant fear because of insecurity.
The party further noted that, despite the Presidency’s celebration of the letter, the United States Department of State has not changed its travel advisory for Nigeria.
According to the ADC, several Nigerian states remain under Level 3 and Level 4 travel advisories, with American citizens still being urged to reconsider or avoid travel because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest.
“We therefore wonder how correspondence from a government that designates several Nigerian states as ‘Do Not Travel’ areas can be regarded as an endorsement,” the party said.
It argued that the travel advisory shows the international assessment of Nigeria’s security situation remains different from the image the Presidency is trying to project.
The ADC said Nigerians are more concerned about their safety than diplomatic exchanges between presidents.
“The daily reality of Nigerians is shaped not by diplomatic correspondence, but by the guarantee that they can go about their lives without falling victim to violent crime or terrorism,” it said.
The party stressed that Trump’s letter was simply communication between two presidents and “does not amount to an endorsement of this government’s overall performance.”
It urged the Tinubu administration to focus less on celebrating diplomatic courtesies and more on delivering measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
“Ultimately, Nigerians will not judge this government by the letters it receives from foreign capitals. They will judge it by whether .…For more, Complete your reading.
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