Nigeria, June 19 -- The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has appealed to Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia yet to be airlifted back home to be patient with it.

The commission said it is doing everything alongside other stakeholders to increase the speed of the return leg.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NAHCON's spokesperson, Fatima Usara, cited high demand for air slots from other countries as the reason for the slow airlift of Nigerian pilgrims.

She also said that the commission planned to return all pilgrims by 28 June,

"Please note that the fewer trips being experienced presently in the return airlift is due to the normal peak season air traffic in Saudi Arabia.

"During this period, all countries are trying to ret...