Hajj refunds: Group makes case for intending pilgrims, commends Kano

AN organisation that monitors and reports hajj and umrah activities, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to constitute a committee that will oversee refund of deposits to Hajj 2020 intending pilgrims across the country.

It urged NAHCON to set up a committee comprising its officials, media practitioners, members of civil society organisations and security and anti-corruption agencies, to oversee the process of the refunds.

In a statement by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed and publicity secretary, Abubakar Mahmoud, the IHR said it was expedient for the apex hajj regulator to ensure a transparent refund process following the decision of the Saudi Arabia authorities to limit the performance of this year’s hajj to only residents of the Middle East country.

According to the group, experience on previous hajj refunds shows that some board and agencies’ officials “short-change intending pilgrims and sometimes convert approved pilgrims’ refunds to personal use.”

It said NAHCON should issue guidelines to states’ Muslim pilgrims welfare boards and make the refund a uniform process.

The IHR said: “Following the cancellation of Hajj 2020 for people outside the Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some states Muslim pilgrims welfare boards have told the intending pilgrims to apply and signify interest to either be refunded or defer their pilgrimage to 2021.

“States such as Kano, Adamawa, Bauchi, Lagos, Cross River, Katsina, Lagos, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger have issued statements urging pilgrims to come forward for refund. Kano and Bauchi states have already commenced the refund process.”

Meanwhile, the group has commended the process adopted by the Kano State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in the payment of the refunds to intending pilgrims from the state.

In a separate statement, the organisation said: “The IHR wishes to commend Kano State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for the involvement of security agencies, media and civil society organisations in the payment of refunds to pilgrims who couldn’t travel to fulfil their religious aspiration due to the closure of Hajj 2020 to international pilgrims by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Kano State Muslim Pilgrims Board did not only involve other agencies in the refund process but provides details of how much is involved and the number of pilgrims.”

It recalled that the board, Thursday last week, began making the refunds, at the commencement of which its executive secretary, Muhammad Abba Dambatta, provided journalists with “detailed and comprehensive information” on the process.

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