Claims that over 600 Nigerian pilgrims unlawfully remained in Saudi Arabia after performing the lesser Hajj have been denied by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON. Shehu Sani, a former senator from Kaduna Central, raised concerns on Saturday by implying in a tweet sent on his official X account that these pilgrims had declined to return, which may force Saudi officials to tighten visa policies.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
“Over 600 Nigerians who travelled to Saudia for lesser Hajj refused to return and this will compel the Saudi authorities to tighten their visa rules. Many of those who want to travel will likely be tossed,” Sani wrote.
Fatima Usara, the deputy director of public affairs for NAHCON, vehemently refuted the accusation, claiming that neither Saudi nor Nigerian officials had provided any proof to back up such a claim.
“We do not have such correspondence or information from Saudi Arabia, neither did we receive such information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Immigration Services of both countries,” Usara explained to The PUNCH correspondent.
Senator Sani’s assertion comes soon after President Bola Tinubu fired
Jalal Arabi, the previous chairman of the Hajj Commission, on charges of mismanagement and embezzlement of N90 billion in subsidies for the pilgrimage.
51,477 Nigerian pilgrims paid N6.9 million apiece to participate in the recently completed Hajj pilgrimage.
On May 15, 2024, an aircraft carrying 422 pilgrims took off from Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Kebbi to mark the start of the 2024 Hajj activity. On July 16, 2024, the last return flight carrying 286 pilgrims touched down in Ilorin, Kwara State.
