Arafat: Civil society advises pilgrims to comply with Jamarat timing

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9 years ago

The Independent Hajj Reporters, a civil society organisation, has advised Nigerian pilgrims to comply with the new modalities adopted by Saudi Hajj Ministry for the ritual stoning in jamarat.

The National Coordinator of the organisation, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammed, gave this advice in a statement he issued on Tuesday.

“We appeal to the Nigerian pilgrims to comply with the new guidelines issued by Saudi Ministry of Hajj for the symbolic stoning of Jamarat.

“The hajj ministry said arrangements had been concluded to assign guards, who will lead 250 pilgrims at a time to the Jamarat and back,” he said.

According to the ministry, two guards from the states Pilgrims’ Boards and Saudi Hajj Ministry will lead the group to perform the stoning rituals and also lead them back to their tents.

Muhammed said that the Saudi authority had threatened that any pilgrims, who violated the arrangement would be made to face the consequence while their state officials would be held responsible.

He stressed the need for all stakeholders in the hajj operations to embark on sensitisation campaign on the issue before the commencement of movement of pilgrims to Mina.

Mohammed urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and states Pilgrims Boards to educate pilgrims that the measure being adopted was geared towards their safety and comfort.

“While we laud the enlightenment unit of NAHCON for its timely information dissemination strategy, we urge it to fuse its machinery with those of states pilgrims boards on this issue of jamarat timing,” he said.