No fewer than 1.6 million pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Monday to mark the climax of the 2018 pilgrimage.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent covering the Hajj, reports that at least 55,000 Nigerians are part of the gathering.

The event at Mount Arafat features Pilgrims’ supplication for Allah’s guidance and forgiveness.

It also involves staying at Arafat from sunrise until sunset as a major rite of the pilgrimage.

NAN reports that movement from Muna, where the pilgrims spent the night in tents, started as early as 12 midnight on Sunday and was completed at about 6 a.m.

Pilgrims were camped in the tents, fully equipped with cooling system, to alleviate the high temperature which sometimes rose to 44 degrees Centigrade.

Earlier at the inaugural movement of the pilgrims to Arafat, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar, said the Commission commenced the movement early to reduce the harsh effect of weather on them.

The NAHCON boss, who supervised the exercise, said its coordination and monitoring were done by committees set up by the commission.

He said NAHCON would continue to make innovations in organising pilgrimages, to ease difficulties of pilgrims.

NAN reports that pilgrims stand on the plains of Mount Arafat in supplication, praying to Almighty Allah to attain various needs in life and hereafter.

Observing the Arafat prayers is the strongest pillar of Hajj, in fact, there is no Hajj without the Arafat.

Nigerian pilgrims are expected to hold a Congregational national prayer session later in the day. (NAN)

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