Katsina, Where First 2007 Hajj Contingent Took Off - Daily Trust

2 December 2007
Posted to the web 3 December 2007

Mustafa Isah Kwaru
Abuja

History was made in Katsina state last week when the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar led a delegation to commission the first phase of the multi billion naira upgraded Katsina airport. Sunday Trust's Mustafa Isah Kwaru was there.

Another milestone was the subsequent airlift of the first batch of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia from the airport. The airlift was the climax of hajj operations in the state since its creation about twenty years ago, as pilgrims always went through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA)

The first flight carrying the 450, Katsina pilgrims took off to Saudi Arabia at 10 pm. aboard 747 Mangal Airline with registration number, SX-TIB, on the 22nd Nov. 2007.

Sunday Trust learnt that the giant stride for upgrading Katsina Airport was initiated by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua when he was governor of the state so that on completion, pilgrims could be airlifted to Saudi Arabia directly instead of going through MAKIA.

It was gathered that President Yar'Adua had felt that the project became imperative when in 2005; about 80 percent of the Katsina pilgrims were stranded at (MAKIA) as a result of which they missed the pilgrimage. A development which was reported to have caused the then governor, Yar'adua bad blood as people in the state had accused him of not playing significant role in enhancing proper implementation of the process.

More investigations revealed that an agreement was therefore reached between Katsina state and the federal government to contribute over N4bn after which a contract for the project was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria limited, a construction firm. Full Story