‘…NASS’ll interface with Saudi Arabia, NAHCON for improve services’
As the 2023 Hajj rites wind down, the 95, 000 Nigerian pilgrims have been moved from Mina to Makkah, Saudi Arabia to complete the last phase of the ritual.
Blueprint reports that Nigerian pilgrims, alongside millions of others from other parts of the world, departed Makkah for Mina on Monday, then moved to Arafah for prayers on Tuesday and later proceeded to Muzdalifah, where they spent a night on the floor.
On Wednesday they returned to Mina, and walked to and fro Mina to Jamarah for the symbolic stoning of the devil from Wednesday to Friday morning.
Having successfully completed their Hajj rites in Mina, NAHCON conveyed the pilgrims to Makkah for Tawaf Ifadah and Jummah prayers that usually signal the final lap of the 2023 Hajj.
The remaining Hajj rite for the over 2.5 million Muslims in Makkah is Tawaf Qaddah (Farewell Tawaf) which would be performed at the world biggest and holiest mosque, Al Haram.
Niger gov’s angst
Meanwhile, the Niger state governor, Umar Bago, has joined other Nigerians to express dissatisfaction over inadequate tents, food and poor facilities in Nigerian camp in Mina, Saudi Arabia.
Bago, who stated this while addressing newsmen early Friday morning, assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be briefed on what transpired.
He described the facilities at the Niger state tents as “below the standard” and advocated for the total decentralisation of NAHCON.
“First and foremost, I want to express our dismay as a state for the kind of ill-treatment our pilgrims got. The tent is over populated and very filthy.
“The facilities here are not enough. You can see people lying down outside, which is not good enough. Secondly, we need to take this issue up with NAHCON.
“As stated, we are going to take over certain responsibilities from NAHCON, and we’ll meet President Tinubu on this issue.
“For instance, Niger pilgrims complained that the food they are given is unsuitable to ingest. This is not human, it is inhuman. This is not ok for us and we are not going to accept it,” he said.
On his part, the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Dantoro, who’s the Ameer Hajj Niger state 2023, said Niger state pilgrims paid for conducive tents, good food, but unfortunately they did not get what they paid for.
“Take it from me and the entire pilgrims. It is a disgusting situation and unfortunately there is nothing to write home about, he stated.
“But as a Muslim anybody who intends to perform hajj whatever he sees is only Allah that will reward him/her,” he said.
Also, a member of the House of Representatives representing Gbako/ Bida/Katcha Federal Constituency of Niger in the 10th NASS, Saidu Musa Abdullahi assured that the lawmakers will interface with Saudi Arabia Authority and NAHCON to provide improved services to Nigerian pilgrims in 2024.
Abdullahi, who disclosed this Friday in Makkah said they have observed gaps in terms of movement of the pilgrims from one location to the other.
“We noticed some areas of concern and hopefully by the time the National Assembly resumes, we will raise on its instrumentality to bring about solutions to some of the gaps that we have identified.
“We expect the NAHCON will come up with a report, so that we interface with the appropriate authorities of Saudi Arabia and see areas where there can be improvement in the 2024 Hajj,” he said.
