Lagos Muslim Pilgrims Board Begins Vaccination for 1,600 Hajj Travellers

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has finalized its preparations to vaccinate approximately 1,600 prospective pilgrims from the state in anticipation of this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Board Secretary AbdulHakeem Ajomagberin announced the vaccination initiative in a statement released through the Director of Public Affairs, Taofeek Lawal. The primary goal of this vaccination drive is to ensure compliance with international health standards and to facilitate a smooth pilgrimage process.

As part of the mandatory pre-departure health requirements, pilgrims will receive vaccinations for meningitis, oral polio, yellow fever, and influenza. Ajomagberin has requested the cooperation of officials from the Port Health Services Nigeria to ensure the seamless execution of the vaccination exercise. The program will be conducted on a local government basis, starting on Monday at the Shamsi Adisa Thomas (SAT) Mosque Hall, located at the First Secretariat in GRA, Ikeja.

According to the timetable released by the board, intending pilgrims from Agege and Somolu will begin the vaccination process, followed by those from Ajeromi, Apapa, and Ojo on April 21. Participants from Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, and Badagry are scheduled for April 22. On Thursday, pilgrims from Ikeja, Oshodi-Isolo, Mushin, and Surulere will receive their vaccinations, while those from Ikorodu, Eti-Osa, Kosofe, and Epe are slated for April 27. The exercise will continue on April 28 for pilgrims from Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, JAIZ, NIA, and Royal groups, concluding on April 29 with the vaccination of government officials at the same venue.

Ajomagberin urged all intending pilgrims traveling through the state to strictly adhere to the vaccination schedule and present themselves for the required inoculations. He emphasized that compliance is mandatory, as both the Saudi Arabian authorities and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria require proof of vaccination as a condition for participation in the pilgrimage. He cautioned that any pilgrim who fails to undergo the vaccination will be disqualified from the journey, underscoring that this exercise is part of international travel health regulations.