More than 1.5 million pilgrims readied themselves for a once-in-a-lifetime journey of faith.
He also urged the pilgrims to pray for Nigerian leaders by seeking divine intervention in the nation’s lingering economic predicament.
The Oyo assembly has called on Nigerians to pray for their fatherland.
Saudi authorities have agreed to relocate about 10,000 Nigerian pilgrims to an additional site to decongest the tent in Muna.
“What I will advise is that probably if some punitive measures can be established or be carried out against erring states or states with a certain number of advanced pregnancies.”
The transportation to Saudi Arabia was done in 104 flight operations and in collaboration with states’ pilgrims boards and agencies.
Airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for 2023 Hajj entered its 12th day on Tuesday, representing first phase of the exercise.
The 95,000 slots used to be the approved pre-COVID-19 allocation by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The 2022 Hajj was marred by poor services rendered by a Saudi company for Nigerian pilgrims, especially feeding during the five-day peak of Hajj.
The 2,009 pilgrims from Borno, Nasarawa and the FCT, are from the 43,000 Hajj slots allocated to Nigeria by Saudi Arabia.