Consequent upon the banning of International pilgrims from performing this year’s Hajj by the Saudi Arabian authority, the Lagos State Government has urged her intending pilgrims to differ the exercise till next year.
This was part of the major resolutions reached between the state Government, the intending Pilgrims, and Islamic scholars during a one-day sensitization programme on the future of year 2020 Hajj operation, held at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
While justifying the necessity for the cancellation, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, commended the Saudi Arabia Authority for taking such a bold and difficult decision in order to curb the spread of Coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging the entire world, considering the the large number of people that would have performed the pilgrimage in Makkah and Medina.
Mr. Elegushi stressed that it is better for pilgrims to wait till the next hajj when it is hoped that the pandemic would have been totally defeated.
The Commissioner said as a Government that is responsible to its people, no pilgrims would be denied his/her legitimate right to seek refund of the hajj fare already paid.
He however advised that it is better for pilgrims to leave the money with the Lagos State Government and differ Hajj exercise till next year when they would be considered on a first-come, first-served basis, otherwise they would start all over again.
He however assured them that their money is very safe with the State Government
While responding to questions on the possibility of increment in year 2021 hajj fare, Mr. Elegushi said that it is the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that fixes hajj fare and not the state Government, noting that one of the aim of the current Chairman of NAHCON, Mr. Kunle Hassan, was to secure reduction in the hajj fare so as to make it affordable for intending pilgrims.
While assuring that the intending pilgrims are free to retrieve their International passport for any other usage, the Commissioner urged them to fill a form to document their deferment of year 2020 hajj to 2021.
Ibukunoluwa Temitope
