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Tag: pilgrims

  • Sokoto pilgrims die in Makkah while eating, on queue back home

    Sokoto pilgrims die in Makkah while eating, on queue back home

    The Director General of the Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA), Alhaji Ibrahim Umar has confirmed the death in Makkah of two pilgrims, a male and female from the state following natural causes.
    The deceased pilgrims  are  Luba Usman and Musa Haruna, from Illela and  Gada Local Governments respectively.
    Umar is said to have  made the disclosure while giving updates on the state’s pilgrims situation Sunday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
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    Umar explained that late Luba Usman was eating her breakfast on Saturday morning  when she collapsed and died. Late Musa Haruna who was in the first flight of Gada Local Government, was on the queue on Saturday night for the weighing of his hand luggage.
    ” The deceased who was also together with his son, just laid  down to rest and that was the end of his life”, the DG said.
    According to the PWA Boss,  the deceased pilgrims had since been buried according to Islamic rites after their funeral prayers were conducted at the Holy Mosque in Makkah.
    Meanwhile, the first flight of the state’s pilgrims had arrived Sokoto, with 550 pilgrims from Gada and Sabon-Birni Local Governments.
    The second flight is expected to leave the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah for Sokoto by 11pm on Monday, with 520 pilgrims.
    Umar further said that the officials of the agency and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON), had met with the officials of the airlines.
    The DG added that the meeting was to ensure that the airlines adhered strictly to the schedule of fights.
    ” They have assured us that all Nigerian pilgrims will be transported back to Nigeria before the October 5,2017 deadline given by the Saudi authorities.
    ” I am assuring all the pilgrims that none of them will be left here and everybody will be transported back to Nigeria in the respective flights they were brought into the Holy land,” Umar, added.
    Umar also stated that all the state’s 4852 pilgrims were hale and hearty.

  • Of pilgrims and profligates

    •Despite recession, Nigerian governments spent billions on pilgrimage

    It is an irony of a most grand and astounding scale: Nigerian governments at both federal and state levels have continued to seek to beat the most immoral paths to the ‘Holy Lands’ of Mecca and Jerusalem. The prodigal practice of government sponsoring Muslim and Christian faithful to observe annual pilgrimage must have started since independence; but despite sustained protestations, this wasteful and blatantly thoughtless practice has continued till today.

    In fact, it may have reached a crazy crescendo today as even a lot more state resources are pumped into this extravagance notwithstanding the deep economic recession in the country. For instance, so far this year, a mind-numbing N137 billion has reportedly been spent on sponsoring Muslim faithful alone to Saudi Arabia. This obviously is in repudiation of the crippling recession in the land, the internal ‘refugees’ crisis in the northeast and poverty ravaging the people across the country.

    According to figures from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), no fewer than 91,000 made the trip to Mecca this year. Christian faithful are preparing to visit Jerusalem and most of them would also be at the expense of state and federal governments. By the time they return, Nigeria may have disbursed at least N200 billion, largely from the treasury and all of it converted to scarce foreign exchange.

    The Federal Government may well be the worst culprit, throwing in massive forex waiver every year. Last year, while official rate was N318.9 to a dollar, the Federal Government, in a profligate bonanza, handed funds to pilgrims at a concessionary rate of N197 per dollar. The loss to the country in this singular transaction was the difference of N121.9 multiplied by 65,167 pilgrims (at $1,000 per pilgrim). This comes to tens of billions of naira.

    While we may consider Abuja’s participation in this illicit disbursal of state funds subtle, nearly all the states have been brazen if not wanton in applying state’s funds in what is after all, no more than another private trip or holiday abroad.

    Here are a few samples: Borno State which has suffered a maelstrom of terrorists’ carnage in the last few years said it spent N500 million for the welfare of about 2,645 pilgrims in 2014; Bauchi State which is also in the troubled northeast zone reportedly spent about N263 million this year.

    Some others are Kano State which last year said it had abolished state sponsorship of Hajj but is said to have doled out N3 billion already this year. The sum is supposedly for sponsoring clerics and medical personnel on Hajj. Sokoto State reportedly spent N91 million; Katsina about N1 billion annually; Taraba State released N288 million while Plateau which had vowed to stop the practice, sponsored over 600 pilgrims to Mecca, with the explanation that it was making the “sacrifice as a result of the relevance of the holy pilgrimage to the citizens of the state.”

    But Kaduna may be the only state to have lived to its words not to concern itself with this matter of faith. Governor Nasir el Rufai had said in 2015 that the state could no longer afford the luxury of sponsoring people to Mecca and Jerusalem. He noted that in 2014 alone, the state expended about N1.5 billion. The state’s name does not appear on the NAHCON list.

    For decades, this matter had been on and for so long, Nigerians have kicked against it. The issue is commonsensical enough if not elementary. State must keep away from meddling in issues that are purely religious and personal; to spend state funds in this manner is sheer recklessness and licentious abuse of office.

    We understand the political motives behind some of the decisions to sponsor people on such religious jamborees but we aver that it is indeed immoral and opportunistic to so deploy state funds. Not in the face of backlog of unpaid workers’ salaries, pension arrears and dilapidated infrastructure. It is symptomatic of poor judgment, poor management acumen and abuse of office.

    We urge governors especially to stop this profligacy forthwith.

  • Pilgrims begin homeward journey tomorrow

    •Death toll rises to 14

    THE airlift of Nigerian pilgrims back home from Muhammad Bn Abdulaziz Airport in Madina is expected to begin tomorrow with Gombe State pilgrims.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Chairman Abdullah Muhammad Mukhtar said if the preparations for the airlift falls through, the Saudi Airline, FLYNAS, would operate from the Madina Airport.

    He said the exercise is expected to be concluded on or before October 5, barring any unforeseen hiccup.

    Muhktar hailed the role played by reporters through information dissemination, enquiries and enlightenment on the Hajj rites.

    He called on them not to relent during the last lap of the exercise.

    Commissioner for Operations Alhaji Abdullah Saleh Modibbo said three air carriers to airlift the pilgrims have been notified about their flights schedules.

    He added that FLYNAS is to conclude its airlift between September 7 and October 6, Medview between September 10 and September 25 and Max Air (between September 9 and October 5).

    Modibbo said the commission had done everything humanly possible to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

    NAHCON Finance and Administration Commissioner Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, who said weighing of pilgrims luggage was underway, assured the pilgrims that their feeding and transportation would continue until they are reunited with their families.

    But, so far, about 14 pilgrims including a NAHCON worker, have died during this year’s Hajj.

    The worker (names withheld), who travelled for the Hajj with his wife, died on Monday evening after complaining of a slight headache.

    As at press time, arrangements were being made for his burial according to Muslim rites.

    Commissioner in Charge of Health Dr. Ibrahim Kana said about 18000 Nigerian pilgrims were attended to by the NAHCON medical team, with over 6000 of them at Muna and Arafat.

    The Saudi Project For the Utilisation of Hajj Meat, managed by Islamic Development Bank, has issued a certified receipt confirming the slaughter of about 15,601 sheep on behalf of Nigerian pilgrims, who paid for their Hadaya through Ja’iz Bank.

     

  • Gov. releases N11m to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

    Gov. releases N11m to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

    In the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir, Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, has released N11 million to the pilgrims from the state in Saudi Arabia for Sallah.

    The spokesman for the hajj team, Mr Jibrin Gwamna, made this disclosure in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Lafia on Monday.

    The statement, issued on behalf of the Amirul Hajj of the state 2017 Muslim Pilgrims, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahahi, expressed the gratitude of the state pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to the governor for the gesture.

    It reads in part: “We are grateful, as the gesture has improved on our standard of living and we shall continue to pray for the success of his administration in order to enjoy more dividends of democracy”.

    Balarabe-Abdullahahi said the pilgrims would continue to pray for the peace and unity of the nation, President Muhammad Buhari, Gov. Al-Makura and other leaders to enable them succeed in the tasks ahead of them.

    He also said the process of transporting the state pilgrims back to Nigeria had begun and thanked the state hajj team and the pilgrims for their support, prayers and understanding throughout the period of the spiritual exercise.

    The statement enjoined all Nigerians to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.

    According to it, peace is priceless and therefore, it is the necessary requirement for the development of any society.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 1,160 Nasarawa State Muslim pilgrims are performing the 2017 hajj in Saudi Arabia.

  • Pilgrims converge on Mount Arafat for Hajj rites

    Pilgrims converge on Mount Arafat for Hajj rites

    ABOUT 1.7 million pilgrims for this year’s Hajj have begun to converge on Mount Arafat to mark the most important ritual of the holy pilgrimage.

    It is an annual pilgrimage that re-enacts the actions of Prophet Muhammad from more than 1,400 years ago.

    No fewer than 91,000 Nigerian pilgrims are among those participating in the Hajj.

    Millions of the pilgrims on Tuesday night began moving from Makkah to Mina, where the main hajj rites are expected to take place.

    Traffic gridlock was visibly in many Makkah cities leading to Mina.

    The 2,332 pilgrims from Lagos State started converging around 9pm at the Lagos House 1 & 2 in Musfala area.

    Today is the Day of Arafat and any pilgrim that missed the gathering is considered not to have performed hajj for that particular year.

    Pilgrims, who are on Mount Arafat are expected to fast, which vitiates sins of two years.

    Wearing two white, unstitched pieces of cloth for men known as the “Ihram” and any loose-fitting clothing for women, the pilgrims climbed steps built into the hill where the Prophet Muhammad gave his final sermon.

    In what looked like an unbroken sea of white, the pilgrims marched to the top, reciting prayers and supplications.

    The rite involves an extremely sombre mood at the plain, with many spending their time in prayer and introspection.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. Abdul Hakeem Abdul Lateef yesterday during a sensitisation lecture on expectations while in Mina, said: “Mina is one of the four sacred places the pilgrims will visit and reside there for the next five days”.

    According to him, the pilgrims will move from Mina to Arafat where they will remain until sunset, making supplications.

    “They will then proceed to Muzdalifah and stay for the night. The next morning, they will return to Mina and wait for the time schedule that will be released by the Saudi Government to proceed to Jamarat for throwing of pebbles, which will last for three days,” he said.

    He added that the rites will be rounded off with Tawaf Ifadah at the ancient Kaaba in Makkah as well as the Safa and Marwa.

    Pilgrims are expected to be in their Ihram for the first three days in mina.

    AbdulLateef urged pilgrims to ensure strict compliance with rules and regulations guiding the exercise.

    He urged Muslims, who are not in Saudi Arabia for Hajj, to fast on the day of Arafat to have their sins of two years forgiven as said by Prophet Muhammad.

    He said: “Take advantage of the period to pray  for the country to recover from the present economic recession; prayer has a great impact in turning  the fortune of the country around for the better.”

    In his message, Chief Imam of the two holy mosques, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Sudais, implored the pilgrims to exercise patience with one another on the Mount Arafat and other areas so that their prayers can be accepted, saying that orderliness will prevent stampede and other unfortunate incident during the exercise.

    The Imam said people should not associate partner with Allah because it is a great sin.

    Pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam and undertaking it is considered an obligation for Muslims at least once during their lives, if they can afford to do so.

  • Pilgrims return lost and found money

    Pilgrims return lost and found money

    Two pilgrims from Sokoto state have returned 900 USD, N7,450 and 290 Saudi Riyals lost by a fellow pilgrim in Makkah.

    It is the second time  pilgrims from the state returned money they found to the state officials for onward presentation to the owners.

    It was reported that one  Alhaji Nuradeen Imam was confirmed  to be the legitimate  owner of the latest found money and had since collected it.

    The lost  money was found on Tuesday at the hotel accommodating Sokoto state pilgrims in the Masfalah District of Makkah.

     Speaking, Dr Aliyu Sani Sagir, the Secretary of the Preaching Committee of the State’s Pilgrims Welfare Agency. described the action of the two good Samaritans as worthy of emulation.

    Sagir who is also a Lecturer in the Physics Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.  prayed Allah to bless them and reward them abundantly.

    Meanwhile,  two other pilgrims had last week returned 700 USD, 15,000 CFAs and some Nigerian currencies  lost by a  colleague.

  • Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Mecca

    Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Mecca

    About five Nigerian pilgrims have lost their lives since the commencement of the 2017 hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said.

    Making this disclosure Tuesday was the Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammad.

    He spoke at the pre-Arafat meeting of stakeholders in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

    While regretting the demise of the affected pilgrims, he however said the Commission was going to make the names of the victims public after reaching out to the families of the deceased.

    Corroborating the NAHCON boss, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, Chairman, Medical Matters said the identities of the victims were being kept under wraps. He however disclosed that one of the deceased hails from Kwara state just as he noted that the  death rate for this year’s hajj is the lowest in recent times.

    Dr. Kana further revealed that there was a delivery by a pilgrim from Kwara state while there was one miscarriage.

    The Head of the medical team also urged the pilgrims to observe basic health advice considering the topography of the holy land such as drinking more water to avoid dehydration and prevent heat waves attack.

  • Jigawa completes transportation of intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

    Jigawa completes transportation of intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

    The Jigawa Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board says it has completed the transportation of the intending pilgrims from the state to Saudi Arabia.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Hashim, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the board made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jigawa on Tuesday.

    He said the last batch of 390 intending pilgrims departed the Dutse International Airport on Tuesday at 12.31 a.m. by a Max Air Ltd.

    Hashim said with the last transportation, the Airline had transported a total of 1,481 pilgrims from the state to Saudi Arabia in an exercise that began on Aug. 18.

    Meanwhile, Gov. Muhammad Badaru, who bid the intending pilgrims farewell, urged them to shun any act that would contravene the laws of Saudi Arabia, throughout the exercise.

    Badaru also advised them to pray for peace, stability and economic prosperity of the country and wished them a successful Hajj.

    According to him, it is necessary to seek God’s intervention in the quest of Nigerians to overcome the present insecurity in the country.

    Contributing, the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Abubakar Maje, who is also the state’s Amirul Hajj, advised the intending pilgrims against engaging in any unlawful act during their sojourn in the Holy land.

    Maje also called on the intending pilgrims to respect the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and avoid acts that were capable of tarnishing the image of the state and the country.

    He warned that any unlawful act, on the part of the intending pilgrims, could invalidate their Hajj.

  • 500 Jigawa pilgrims stranded at airport

    500 Jigawa pilgrims stranded at airport

    NO fewer than 500 people who were to be on the first flight of the Jigawa State intending pilgrims were allegedly stranded at Dutse International Airport for the failure of MAX Air to airlift them to Saudi Arabia.

    MAX Air is the air carrier approved by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCO) to airlift 2000 Jigawa State intending pilgrims in this year’s Hajj exercise.

    Reports from the state indicated that the Jigawa State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board and MAX Air designed and agreed on three flights to airlift the 1,485 pilgrims, beginning from August 15.

    Our correspondent gathered that the state’s Pilgrims’ Welfare Board made an arrangement and called the intending pilgrims from 14 local government areas across the three senatorial districts of the state.

    A source at the board, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter in Dutse that MAX Air later changed the first flight from August 15 to August 17; a situation that force the board to change its earlier plan to march the Airways’ time.

    Contacted on the phone, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of MAX Air, Alhaji Ibrahim Dahiru, said: “I’m now in Abuja. I don’t know actually what the problem is. Let me call and find out.”

    Dahiru stated further: “I have to call them and hear from them. I will talk to you lattr.”

    However, at the time of filing this report, there was no response from the PRO.

    Also contacted, the Public Relation Officer of the Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Hashimu Kanya, said: “We did everything from our side. We are awaiting the airways to bring the aircraft that will convey them.

  • Lagos pilgrims leave Medina for Mecca

    Lagos pilgrims leave Medina for Mecca

    Lagos State Pilgrims will today leave the city of Medina to Mecca in preparation for the Hajj rites.

    Commissioner for Home Affairs and Amirul Hajj, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, said this yesterday in a statement by his Media Assistant, Olalekan Murisiku.

    According to Dr Abdullateef, the pilgrims numbering 460 were the first batch of pilgrims airlifted to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last Sunday.

    He said: “Every pilgrim is expected to be in Medina for eight days before going to Mecca. The movement from Medina to Mecca is also going to be in batches for convenience.

    “The pilgrims have dropped their main luggage contained in four trucks, for onward movement to Mecca while human transportation scheduled for tomorrow (today).”

    The Amirul Hajj noted that the short stay in Medina had provided the pilgrims the opportunity to perform numerous spiritual activities such as praying, including Jumat Service at Masjid Nabawi (Prophet Mosque), Visit to the Prophet’s grave and that of his Caliphs (Abubakar and Umar).

    They have also visited historic places such as Masjid Quba (where each Solaat offered is equivalent to lesser Hajj), Masjid Qiblataen (the Mosque with two Prayer directions), Mount Hud among other notable sites.

    The pilgrims, he said, will also have the opportunity to learn Arabic and the Quran in Saudi Arabia.

    “We have assigned all the clerics that will be travelling with us the responsibility of teaching their pilgrims how to read the Quran while in hajj.  We intend to organise a graduation party within the few days they are spending in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

    He appealed to the pilgrims not to hold items on behalf of any other pilgrim, reminding them that the punishment for drug trafficking in the Middle East is death.

    He said: “Drugs could be hidden in onions, dry red chilies, drink cans and other unsuspecting items.

    “This year we have improved our method of allocating rooms to pilgrims, the usual tension of where will I stay, has been settled. Pilgrims have been given the opportunity to select who they intend to live with right from Nigeria and their room numbers have been distributed to them right from Nigeria, so, no pilgrim will take off from Nigeria without knowing his or her room number in Saudi Arabia. This is the first time we are doing that to ensure the ease of performing hajj is enhanced. For the very first time, they know their room number and the names of the people who will occupy the room are with them and also pasted on the door.”