The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has faulted claims that N150 billion hajj fees has been trapped following hajj 2020 cancellation.
NAHCON in a statement by its head public affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara, described the report which claims that this amount represents payment made to service providers by Nigerians for this year’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia as unfounded.
“The alleged trapped amount is said to be the “total paid to airlines, hoteliers, transporters, hajj operators and states’ pilgrims’ boards among others”.
“How the writer arrived at this total amount and who made the payments remains a puzzle, considering the following facts.
“NAHCON chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan had informed the general public in several interviews that no financial commitment was made to service providers in Saudi Arabia or in Nigeria for 2020 Hajj. It is also a fact that it was while the 4th board was carrying out accommodation and catering negotiations in Saudi Arabia that the doubts on Hajj and Umrah first emerged in the Kingdom, therefore Hajj arrangements had never gone beyond negotiations.
“True, NAHCON had approved collection of hajj fares by state pilgrims’ welfare boards and private tour operators in readiness for any eventualities; with the caveat that if Hajj does not hold, depositors will be refunded their monies if they so wish.
“Hajj fare collection however does not translate to payments being made to service providers anywhere in the world. As a matter of fact, some state pilgrims’ boards and private tour agencies had already commenced refund of Hajj fares to pilgrims who desire for such.
“First, cancellation of Hajj itself was only finalised on 22nd of June, 2020 but prior to that date, Saudi Arabia had already suspended Umrah visit since 27th of February 2020 and directed Hajj arrangement to be put on hold until further notice on 31st of March 2020.
“The latter directive especially warned against making any financial commitments or confirming bookings in the Kingdom until instructed to do so. Therefore, at which stage the alleged payments were made to service providers remains a question requiring answer from the writer.”