Kashim Shettima, Borno Gov

 As the first batch of 320 pilgrims from Borno State departs for Saudi Arabia for the 2015 hajj, Governor Kashim Shettima has given them a mandate to  offer special prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed in his very convincing determination to put an end to Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East and the rest of Nigeria. 

The inaugural airlift of pilgrims Saturday was with  a Medview airline with registration number CS-TFM ‎which will flyy them  directly to Madina from the Maiduguri International airport which was reopened about two months ago after it was shut for nearly two years.

Shettima who was obviously happy said it was gratifying that hajj pilgrims were being airlifted from Maiduguri as against the bitter experiences last year when pilgrims had to go to Jigawa and Kano for take off to the holy land, a situation he attributed to politics aimed at undermining his administration.

The Governor told the pilgrims that President Buhari who just marked his first 100 days ‎in office had demonstrated so much love for the people of the northeast geo-political zone and it was clear that his administration was committed to not only ending the Boko Haram insurgency but also stimulating the economy of the region.

He said it was therefore a duty for all citizens of the northeast especially those embarking upon spiritual journeys to make out time to offer prayers for the President to succeed in his effort to make Nigeria a better place for all citizens.

Shettima urged the pilgrims to pray for Borno State to speedily recover from the destruction it faced and for his administration to succeed in its plans to fix the State and reposition it to compete favorably in the league of most progressive States in Nigeria.

The inaugural flight took off ‎at 3:03 pm with a second flight expected on Saturday night. A total of 2,437 pilgrims were expected to perform the hajj from Borno State. Government officials supervising the airlift plan that two flights with different capacity takeoff daily at the Maiduguri airport. The officials were confident that all pilgrims would be airlifted in good time given the fact that the State Government had provided all necessary support required to ensure a hitch free exercise.