The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, has stated it plans to sensitize the intending pilgrims on the new hajj policy introduced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that would not miss out on the spiritual exercise.
NAHCON Secretary, Dr Abdullahi Rabi’u Kotangora, disclosed this while speaking with journalists after a meeting of the commission with chairmen and secretaries of the state welfare boards at the Hajj House, Abuja.
Saudi Arabia was said to have introduced new policy in which visa issuance will close between 45 and 50 days to Arafat Day and may deny many Nigerians the opportunity of participating in 2024 hajj.
In order avoid this, the commission has agreed to collaborate with state pilgrims welfare boards on a joint enlightenment campaign across the country for intending pilgrims to realise the urgency with which they ought to make their minimum deposit of N4.5 million before December.
Kotangora said while some Nigerians would struggle to raise the amount, there are others who have the money but are unaware of the new policy and as such, would not pay in time.
He noted that unlike the previous arrangements whereby visa issuance used to close about three days before Arafat, the new policy introduced by the Saudi authorities meant that anyone who fails to obtain their visa two months before Arafat next year would miss out on the spiritual exercise.
The NAHCON secretary explained that the new policy was informed by Saudi authorities’ desire to know the actual number of pilgrims coming to the kingdom for the annual hajj exercise well ahead of its commencement.
He said, “We have a challenge and it is not going to be business as usual. We have to follow that calendar by the Saudi authorities. We know they are determined to ensure they work with the calendar.
“A lot of Nigerians will not be able to perform this (next year’s) hajj. For some it might because of ignorance, maybe they have the money but because they did not hear that visa will close early, so they are not able to pay the money.
“So, when we reach out to them through a kind of joint or collaborative effort at sensitising and enlightening them of the situation, I believe they will respond positively.
“We want to make sure we do not deceive Nigerians so they need to be informed appropriately in regards to the new changes in the Saudi hajj policies.
“Visa will be closed two months before Arafat, which has not been the practice, but formerly a day or two.
“Now, they (the Saudi authorities) have decided that they want to know the number of people coming from all countries and the only way we can do that is to close our visas early because visa is hajj and without it, there is no way you can go for hajj.”
Kotangora stated that if issuance of visa closes two months before Arafat, “that means that a lot of Nigerians are likely to be left behind, meaning that a lot of Nigerians might not be registered at that time, not to talk of leaving them behind.”
He stressed that the aim of the joint enlightenment by NAHCON and the states was to take the message down to the grassroots for intending pilgrims to be aware of the new policy and pay the minimum deposit promptly.
Speaking, the Executive Secretary Nasarawa State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Idris Ahmad Almakura, bemoaned the low response from intending pilgrims on the payment of the N4.5 million minimum deposit.
He noted that reports indicated that so far some people were only able to deposit N1million, N2million and N3.5million but hoped that before the December deadline, the intending pilgrims would have made the minimum deposit.
He said the decision taken at the meeting on collaboration between the states and NAHCON to embark on joint enlightenment was a good step in the right direction, which he believed would yield positive results.
