Nigerian pilgrims in white seamless ihram dress began their slow and steady trek to the tent city of Mina on Thursday night, ahead of the day of Arafat, which is scheduled for Saturday.

Mecca reverberated with chants of “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (O God, here I am answering your call).

More than 1.5 million pilgrims readied themselves for a once-in-a-lifetime journey of faith.

Pilgrims will spend the Tarwiyah day on Friday in the sprawling tent city, marking the beginning of this year’s Hajj.

They will spend the Tarwiyah day praying and meditating in their tents in preparation for Saturday’s standing at Arafat, the pinnacle of the annual pilgrimage.

According to the Saudi Gazette, the Saudi authorities have mobilised all their human and material resources to make the pilgrimage hassle-free.

The security authorities have completed all flawless preparations to ensure the safety of pilgrims and the security of the Hajj operation.

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has mobilised more than 2,000 employees to provide water services for pilgrims.

The daily pumping rate exceeds 750,000 cubic meters in Makkah and reaches one million cubic meters at peak times on the Day of Arafat and Eid Al-Adha.

The Ministry of Transport and Logistics prepared the flexible rubber asphalt initiative for this year’s Hajj’s pedestrian walkways in the holy sites.

The head of Nigeria’s medical team for the 2024 Hajj urged pilgrims to drink water regularly to avoid dehydration. He also emphasised the need for pilgrims to drink more than two litres of water daily.

He said the holy land’s temperature may likely rise to 48 degrees Celsius.

(NAN)