Kaduna to pilgrims: Your luggage will arrive Nigeria before you depart Saudi Arabia

The Kaduna pilgrims welfare agency says the carry-all luggage of the state’s pilgrims will arrive in Nigeria before they depart Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Gwadabe, chairman of the luggage committee, said arrangements have been made to forestall the loss of luggage. 

He assured pilgrims that their luggage “would neither be given to third parties, nor will bulk clearance be allowed”.

Gwadabe said the luggage is first weighed in Makkah to ascertain that it complies with the 32kg limit.

“Thereafter, the luggage is tagged, and the owner of each piece of luggage will be given a card whose number and other details correspond with the tag,” he said. 

“When he or she arrives at the Mando Hajj Camp upon reaching Kaduna, he or she will present the card to the officials, who will fish each piece of luggage out and bring it to the owner.

“The officials will scrutinise the pilgrim’s passport to find out whether he or she was supposed to be on the flight in the first place.

“Thereafter, they will check the card to find out if the number and other security details correspond with the tag on the luggage.”

Gwadabe added that security operatives — including the police, civil defence, immigration personnel, and officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) — will be on hand to prevent the importation of illegal items.

He advised pilgrims to seal their bags with adhesive tapes in Makkah to shield them from the elements.