THE Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board may not sell forms to intending pilgrims planning to embark on holy pilgrimage to Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in 2022.
This was one of the highpoints of a press conference addressed on Thursday in Ikeja by the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi.
The conference was designed for the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to formally react to the exclusion of international pilgrims from the 2021 hajj exercise by the Saudi Arabian government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explaining the rationale behind the affirmative statement, Prince Elegushi stated that the state already had 3,016 intending pilgrims that had formally registered and fully paid their deposits for the already cancelled 2020/2021 hajj exercises.
He said that unless the Saudi Arabian authorities and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) give the state additional slots, it might not be feasible selling forms for new intending pilgrims outside those already registered.
Elegushi stated that only 69 intending pilgrims or approximately 2.24 per cent of a total of 3,085 intending pilgrims for the 2020/2021 sets had written to request for refund of their N1.3 million deposit while the remaining 3,016 or approximately 97.76 per cent had decided to leave their deposits with the state government for the 2022 exercise.
He affirmed that the request for refund by the 69 affected persons had been processed and forwarded to the governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying that immediately the governor gives his approval, the affected persons would be refunded.
While confirming that the 2022 hajj operation would commence in the state before the end of December 2021, Elegushi urged the 3,016 intending pilgrims to rest assured that the state government would do everything to protect their interest and they would not be disappointed.
Answering question on why the pilgrims welfare board focuses only on umrah (lesser hajj) during Ramadan and not the year round, the commissioner said that the board was working towards getting the International Air Transport Association (IATA) licence to be able to fully operate umrah throughout the year.
On the prospect of the Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS) launched in Lagos by Governor Sanwo-Olu in December, 2020, Prince Elegushi stated that 164 intending pilgrims had embraced the scheme from Lagos State by opening accounts with the accredited bank.
He added that the effort had placed Lagos in a prominent position among states that had keyed into the scheme so far.
He gave the assurance that the state would continue to deploy resources and manpower towards achieving a comprehensive and rewarding Hajj exercise for intending pilgrims.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr Rahman Ishola, praised Governor Sanwo-Olu; his deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and the commissioner, Prince Elegushi, for their “unflinching support” for the board.
He said the support of the present administration had greatly assisted the board in actualising its mission.
Also in attendance were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters, Mr Ahmad Abdullahi-Jebe and other officials of the board.
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