NAHCON moves to fish out illegal hajj operators

Against increasing allegation of fraudulent activities by some hajj tour operators in the country, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has commenced oversight functions of hajj operators across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, to fish out illegal operators.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, at the weekend, the leader of the NAHCON delegation to Kwara State, Alhaji Alidu Shutti, said that the visit was intended to bring sanity into activities of hajj tour operators, by verifying their documents and licences.

Alhaji Shutti, who said that the visit was aimed, to consolidate achievements being recorded in hajj operations and to fine-tune strategy towards future success of both Umrah and hajj operations in the country, added that, it was also meant to fish out illegal operators.

It was gathered that, the visit would also assist the commission, to know the areas where it could be of assistance to the hajj tour operators, in order to bring effective hajj operation exercise in the country.

Alhaji Shutti also said that, the commission was determined to ensure a hitch free hajj operations for all intending pilgrims that passed through licensed tour operators, adding that the visit would also assist the commission, to know the areas where it could be of assistance to licensed hajj tour operators, in order to achieve effective hajj operation exercise.

The head of Tour Operators, at NAHCON, also said that findings of the delegation would be communicated to affected operators after the visit, to enhance their effective performance.

The leader of the delegation, who had earlier visited the state police command and Director of the state security service, solicited support of the two security agencies in the task ahead.

He also used the occasion to laud the efforts of the two security agencies, for their unalloyed support during the yearly hajj operation exercises.

The state police commissioner, Mr Olusola Amore, advised the NAHCON to embark on public enlightenment program, which would guide the intending hajj pilgrims, on the best way to go about having successful hajj operation.

Mr Amore also urged NAHCON to encourage feedback from members of the public, in order to ensure that their guidelines were strictly adhered to.