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NAHCON to sanction pilgrims’ agencies over Hajj fare

Muslim pilgrims walk up Mount Arafat near Mecca

Muslim pilgrims walk up Mount Arafat near Mecca

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Friday said it would investigate allegations that states used agents in the collection of hajj fares from prospective pilgrims

The Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, said this at the Post Arafat meeting in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

He said the commission had received disturbing reports of many pilgrims being duped by unscrupulous people.

He said any state official found to have aided such illegality would be sanctioned.

Mohammed said the agencies had no business using anyone to collect fares from prospective pilgrims on their behalf

He also gave state agencies yet to pay the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) to their pilgrims up to Monday to pay such money.

He said NAHCON would pay such pilgrim in the event the state failed to pay and appropriate action would be taken against the officials.

Mohammed also said that NAHCON board had decided that henceforth payments of hajj fare to the commission would include BTA to guard against the unwholesome practice.

The chairman said the commission would investigate cases of poor feeding arrangements in some pilgrims’ camps and refund those affected.

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