The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NAHCON

  • Buhari to NAHCON: Account for Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

    Buhari to NAHCON: Account for Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

    President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) and the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to urgently account for all Nigerian pilgrims in the aftermath of last Thursday’s disaster at Mina.

    The Presidential directive followed conflicting reports on the number of Nigerians who died or suffered injuries in the catastrophe that claimed over 700 lives.

    President Buhari, according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, is very concerned that days after the unfortunate incident, some Nigerian families are still grappling with painful uncertainty over the fate of their relatives who traveled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.

    He expected NAHCON to work with the various state pilgrim boards, Islamic organisations and private travel agencies involved in Hajj operations to speedily provide a confirmed and verifiable report on the status of every Nigerian pilgrim in Saudi Arabia.

    President Buhari has also directed NAHCON, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to give all necessary assistance to Nigerians who are still receiving treatment for injuries suffered in Mina.

    He prayed that Almighty Allah will receive the souls of the dead, comfort bereaved families, heal the injured and bring all surviving Nigerian pilgrims safely home.

     

  • NAHCON urged to control ‘Lesser Hajj’ operation

    A civil society organisation, Independent Hajj Reporters, has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to regulate and monitor activities of tour operators, who are conducting Umrah (Lesser Hajj).

    The group spoke in a statement by its national coordinator Ibrahim Muhammad and publicity secretary Abubakar Mahmoud.

    The statement said: “We urge NAHCON to as a matter of necessity exerts full control on the conducts and activities of tour operators on the conduct of Umrah (Lesser Hajj) to streamline the Umrah pilgrimages.

    “We acknowledged that NAHCON has in the last four years trying to sanitise the Umrah (lesser hajj), where lists of licensed tour operators are published yearly in national dailies. Nevertheless, we urge it to go further than that.”

    “More specifically, NAHCON should ensure that only registered tour operators are allowed to participate in Umrah exercise; punish erring tour operators to deter others, ensure that pilgrims are served according to what they pay for, put mechanism in place to eliminate the middlemen, and regulate the fare being charged by service providers. “

  • No epidemic at Lagos airport, says FAAN

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said yesterday that there was no possibility of an epidemic at the Hajj Terminal axis of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos despite the state of toilet, facilities used by the pilgrims.

    The Deputy General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Onyekwere Nnaekpe, said information suggesting  otherwise was capable of creating fear in the minds of intending pilgrims, whose worries could be heightened by the scare of the Ebola Virus Disease.

    He said nothing was deplorable about the condition of facilities at the hajj and cargo terminal of the Lagos airport.

    The FAAN spokesman said relevant government agencies responsible for transporting pilgrims and their welfare, including the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), could not have turned a blind eye if facilities at the terminal were below standard.

    Nnaekpe said in a statement: “The authority wishes to state that it is untrue that the toilet facilities (at the terminal) have been left unclean over the weeks without light at night.”

  • 2014 Hajj: NOA set up committee for smooth exercise

    The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) have promised a smooth pilgrimage.

    Inaugurating a committee on the hajj, the Director-General of NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, urged members drawn from both organisations to develop a framework for nationwide public enlightenment.

    “We intend to re-kindle the fire of our existing relationship with the NAHCON. The Agency (NOA) has massive structure required to undertake this task. We should re-orientate pilgrims on the rules, regulations and general conduct,’’ Omeri said.

    The committee has Dr. Sheik Saleh Okenwa as chairman. Other members are: Dr. Aliyu Tanko, Alhaji Maigari Ahmad, Alhaji Balarabe Gambo, Hajia Amina Elelu-Ahmed and Alhaji Galadima Z. Soba. Terms of reference includes: to enlighten pilgrims on all the Hajj reforms, to orientate pilgrims on general conduct among others.

    The Chairman of NAHCON, Mallam Muhammad Bello, thanked NOA for its ‘continued partnership’ and optimistic that the newly inaugurated committee would deliver on shared goal of both organizations, adding that pilgrims must be well enlightened and equipped with ‘relevant’ information necessary for overall conduct of pilgrims to holy land in Mecca.

  • 5,180 for Hajj in Sokoto

    5,180 for Hajj in Sokoto

    A total of 5,180 intending pilgrims from Sokoto State are expected to perform this year’s Hajj in the holy land of Makkah. This year’s number fell short of 20 after reduction of allocated seats nation-wide.

    The chairman of state’s Pilgrim’s Welfare Agency (PWA), Alhaji Muntari Maigona disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto.

    Maigona said: “It was arrived at after the reduction of the 20 per cent of all the intending pilgrims from the 36 states and the FCT by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).”

    According to him, the state was initially allocated 6, 450 seats for its 23 local government areas.

    “But, when the need to reduce the number by 20 per cent arose, we conducted balloting across the state and successfully effected the reduction,” he added.

    He further said that the agency had already concluded all necessary arrangements to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

    Maigona said: “The local government areas had refunded the hajj fares of all the intending pilgrims who were affected by the 20 per cent reduction.

    “All those who were affected and needed their money back had since been refunded across the 23 local government areas.

    He maintained that “for those who want the agency and the local government areas to keep the money until the 2014 hajj exercise, would be given automatic seats next year.”

    However, Maigona announced that the state government had since given the agency the funds required to successfully conduct the hajj exercise.

    Similarly, the agency’s Media Assistant, Alhaji Faruk Umar, said that public enlightenment has been intensified by the media unit.

    Umar said the aim was to sensitise the intending pilgrims from the state on how to perform the basic hajj rites, be law-abiding and know how to safeguard their basic travelling allowances, among others.

  • Hajj: Airlift of pilgrims to resume, eight , on standby, says NAHCON

    Hajj: Airlift of pilgrims to resume, eight , on standby, says NAHCON

    • Saudi Arabia may give limited waiver

     

    The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello yesterday said Nigeria still stands a good chance of meeting its target of airlifting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia once the row over Muharams (male guardians for female pilgrims) is resolved.

    He said eight states already have their pilgrims on standby having adjusted to the new rules imposed by Saudi Arabia.

    He said the visas of the 1,500 female pilgrims returned to the country from Jeddah and Medina are still valid because they were really not deported.

    There were also indications last night that the Saudi authorities might give a limited waiver to Nigeria on Muharams.

    Bello, who addressed journalists in Abuja on the impasse between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, said there is no cause for alarm.

    He pledged that all pilgrims would be airlifted before Jeddah Airport is closed on October 20.

    He clarified that Nigeria did not violate Saudi laws as being insinuated.

    Bello said: “Hajj predates Nigeria; it predates Saudi as a country. The issue of Muharam is a fundamental aspect of hajj and we couldn’t have violated it.

    “If there was any change of rule, we were not communicated. We didn’t break any Saudi law, all hajj officials at all level have always been preaching to the pilgrims to obey the law of the land.”

    “Muharam is a fundamental issue in hajj exercise. There appears to be a change of position of Saudi government on who constitutes Muharam. It is always understood that the constitutionally established bodies like us can stand as Muharam. We are going to sort out all the technical issues so that they can go back”.

    He said that airlift of pilgrims will soon resume.

    He added: “The airlift of pilgrims will soon start. Eight states with 32 flight schedules are on standby to commence operation when the challenges are sorted out.

    “We are hopeful that we will meet our target before King Abdulazeez International Airport Jeddah and Madina airport are closed to traffic on October 20.

     

    “Our carriers- Max Airline, Medview, Meridien and Kabo air lines- are all set to commence airlifting.”

    On the fate of female pilgrims returned to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia, he added: “The female pilgrims were not deported contrary to insinuations and reports; they were returned and their return was a deliberate action of the Federal Government using a Nigerian Airline so that whatever lapses regarding their travel documents would be rectified. They were brought back on Nigerian planes by the Hajj commission.”

    “These pilgrims were not deported; their visas have not been stamped, they are still valid. They will certainly go back to perform this year’s Hajj.

    “All their travelling documents are intact and we would make sure all of them are returned as soon as the issue is sorted out.

    “Actually, it was a deliberate decision by the Nigerian government to return the affected female pilgrims home to address issues raised by Saudi authorities.”

    Responding to a question, Bello said: “The Federal Government delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was also not denied.

    “It is totally unthinkable of a situation that high-ranking government officials would be denied visa. It is totally false and when they get there, the delegation will understand what happened and why it happened suddenly after over 20 flights have moved into the Kingdom.”

    A representative of the airline operators, Nura Harazim of Meridien Airline said: “The pilgrims were not deported. The challenge we have is that the Saudi authority did not carry us along on the change of law on the issue of Muharam.”

    As at press time, there were indications that the Saudi Arabian government might “grant a limited waiver to the Federal Government.”

    A highly-placed source said: “The Saudi Government wants substantial compliance with its laws before it could grant waiver.

    “I think in the next one or two days, this issue will be resolved.”