The King of Saudi Arabia and the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, has congratulated pilgrims on the successful completion of the Hajj pilgrimage, and the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.
During a ceremony hosted by the monarch at the Royal Palace in Mina for the guests of this year’s Hajj on Monday, he expressed the Kingdom’s gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to host the guests of Allah, as well as choosing Saudi Arabia to be the home to Islam’s holiest sites.
Those present at the Royal Palace included a delegation of 10 journalists selected from those invited by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to perform Hajj, including two media representatives from Nigeria.
Others invited to the Kingdom to perform the Hajj rites included individuals from across the world in different fields including science, humanitarianism and media.
The Minister for Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Bente revealed that almost 2.5 million Muslims took part in this year’s pilgrimage from 130 countries, out of which 1.8 million came from outside Saudi Arabia.
He also reiterated the country’s dedication to ensuring the Hajj experience remains safe and comfortable for all intending pilgrims, up until their departure to their various home countries.
Amongst those present also included the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajagbiamila and the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barr. Ibrahim Abdullahi who exchanged pleasantries with King Salman al Saud.
