By Fatima Muraina

The Ondo State Government, on Wednesday, April 30, screened and vaccinated a total of 720 intending pilgrims for the 2025 holy pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The pilgrims received vaccinations for oral polio, diphtheria and tetanus, yellow fever, influenza, and cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM).

The intending pilgrims comprised 400 males and 320 females.

The Chairman of the State Muslim Welfare Board, Alhaji Adam Zikrullah Chandy, in a chat with The Hope, said the vaccinations are a prerequisite for qualifying pilgrims for entry into the holy land. The general screening, he added, assessed their level of faith and understanding of Islamic teachings.

Chandy stated that the intending pilgrims would depart Ondo State on May 10 for Ilorin, where they would be airlifted in three batches: the first on May 11, the second on May 12, and the third on May 13, 2025.

He also disclosed that they would spend 35 days in the holy land to perform all pilgrimage rites before returning to Nigeria.

The Ondo State Deputy Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) , Adamu Amidu, sensitised the intending pilgrims on the death penalty imposed by Saudi authorities on individuals caught with illicit drugs.

He listed such drugs as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine (“ice”), tramadol, and any other substances not prescribed or certified for the pilgrims to possess.

He described drugs as any substance taken orally that is capable of altering the user’s mood or mental state.

He also warned the intending pilgrims not to assist anyone with their luggage to avoid the risk of being implicated in drug-related offences.

Also speaking at the event, Immigration Officer, Deidu Kasali educated the intending pilgrims on the importance of their passports, describing them as essential for both entry into and departure from the holy land.

He emphasised that their passports must be stamped and signed upon departure from Nigeria and upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

He urged them to comply with all rules and regulations of the Saudi authorities, especially regarding the strict prohibition of drugs, including bitter kola and other banned substances.

He explained that any pilgrim who loses their passport in the holy land would be issued an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC), which would be paid for by the individual concerned.