NAHCON to refund intending pilgrims who missed 2022 Hajj — Chairman

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The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, has assured Nigerian intending pilgrims who missed the 2022 Hajj of the commission’s readiness to refund their fares immediately.

This is even as he further assured that those who do not wish to collect their money back will be given priority next year.

“For all those who couldn’t come, for us it was painful and we have made up our mind that we will look for these people and ensure that they get their money immediately we arrive home.

“In fact, we are ready to refund the money before we get home. In the event that they don’t want to collect their money; this is something we have seen occuring in Hajj, we will give them priority,” the NAHCON chairman assured.

While regretting that some intending pilgrims could not be airlifted to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj, the NAHCON CEO said the commission tried its best to ensure all registered pilgrims were airlifted but despite its frantic efforts, it was not possible to do so.

According to him, the commission had an understanding with Saudi Arabian airline, FlyNas for rescue operation but by the time a two-day extension was granted Nigeria to airlift all pilgrims, it was too late as the airline claimed it had disbanded its crew.

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“We actually had the understanding of FlyNas to do the rescue. But immediately the gate was formally closed, FlyNas sent their crew back to their different countries.

“So when we told them that our efforts (to get extra two days), they said they have disbanded their crew and they were from different countries, some are from Sudan, some are from Ethiopia and there was no way in that short time,” Hassan explained.

Reacting to the allegations that NAHCON collected additional money from intending pilgrims through tour operators, the NAHCON boss categorically declared that the commission did not collect money from either the states or individuals.

According to Hassan, investigation revealed that some tour operators collected extra money with the understanding that they would charter aircraft for their pilgrims.

“National Hajj Commission does not collect money from single individual. Even in the states, we also don’t collect money.

“Our investigation revealed that some tour operators collected additional money from their pilgrims with the understanding that they will charter aircraft for them.

“When we get home, we will thoroughly investigate this. I make bold to say that National Hajj Commission of Nigeria does not collect no single money from any individuals for the matter of operation whether in the states or tour operators. That will be the responsibility of their managers,” he said.

Hassan said despite this, the commission made efforts to ensure that all registered pilgrims were brought to Saudi Arabia “since every pilgrim is our own.”

He then said that the commission would thoroughly investigate an alleged rip off of some Nigerian intending pilgrims by some licenced tour operators who allegedly collected extra money from the intending pilgrims claiming that such amount was for the Hajj body.

According to him, NAHCON was going to investigate such allegation against it by some tour operators who collected extra money from their clients, claiming that the money was collected to be transferred to the commission.

Hassan said the commission would not only sanction such tour operators but also invited security and investigative agencies to investigate such operators.

“Well, we need to investigate it (allegation). But if it is true that there were such allegations, there will certainly be sanction.

“There will be invitation of security and investigative agencies, certainly we will,” Hassan said.

Saliu Gbadamosi