Four pregnant women in Gombe State, who are among intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2015 Hajj, have been barred from performing the exercise.

Alhaji Usman Gurama, the state Executive Secretary of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Tuesday.

Gurama said that medical team detected the four pregnant women out of the more than 800 screened for the exercise.

He said the women would not be allowed to perform the 2015 Hajj, assuring them however of getting automatic tickets in 2016.

Gurama also said all arrangements had been concluded for the transportation of the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

According to him, the first flight will transport 500 out of the 1, 9441 pilgrims and 10 officials on Thursday while the second and third batches will leave on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30 respectively.

He said the last batch would be transported on Aug. 31.

“We have already finished all arrangements; even the Basic Transport Allowance (BTA) is now ready and we have also made arrangement for enough security at the camp and airport,’’ he said.

He called on the pilgrims to cooperate with security operatives both in the country and while in Saudi Arabia for a successful exercise.