Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday flagged off the inaugural flight for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, warning all stakeholders involved in the annual spiritual exercise against any form of negligence.

The ceremony was held at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri, Imo State.

Shettima, who arrived alongside Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Hon. Jafaru Muhammad Alli, Chairman of the House Committee on Hajj Affairs, was received by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma; NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman; and the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

The Vice President, while praising Governor Uzodimma for hosting the event, described him as the hope of Nigeria and urged stakeholders to applaud his leadership.

He charged officials and service providers to regard their roles as a sacred trust.

According to the Vice President, the convergence of lives, expectations, and religious obligations demands the highest level of responsibility.

The Hajj, Shettima said, is not just a spiritual journey but a national assignment that “unites faith, duty, and dignity; which binds us by a solemn duty to guarantee the welfare of our people wherever they may be.”

Addressing officials and service providers, the Vice President stressed the importance of diligence and accountability as a trust from God, warning that there should be no room for negligence where lives, hopes, and sacred obligations converge.

He reminded intending pilgrims of the honour they carry as representatives of Nigeria, urging them to uphold values of good conduct, unity, and national pride.

He also conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, assuring that all necessary logistics and resources have been provided to ensure a hitch-free Hajj operation.

In his address, NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Usman, expressed appreciation for the Vice President’s leadership, revealing that 64,188 Nigerian pilgrims have registered for the 2025 Hajj, with 315 embarking on the inaugural flight.

He described the event as a landmark achievement in Hajj history.

He also lauded the Federal Government’s intervention in resolving Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) issues through the credit card option, and praised Governor Uzodimma for promoting religious inclusion.

Governor Uzodimma highlighted the historical importance of the Sam Mbakwe Airport, which he said was built through communal contributions.

He described hosting the event as a testament to Imo State’s embrace of religious diversity.

The Sultan of Sokoto described the event as a strong statement of national unity, commending Uzodimma for standing firm to host it in the South-East.

He said while religion is a personal matter, national unity is a collective responsibility.

The flag-off marks the beginning of the 2025 Hajj airlift, which NAHCON plans to complete within two weeks. Pilgrims boarded an Air Peace aircraft shortly after the ceremony.