The Lagos state Amirul Hajj, who is the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Layode, has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to convene a meeting with all states to discuss the challenges faced during this year’s hajj pilgrimage and how to avoid a recurrence.
He made the call Tuesday while addressing a press conference at the Lagos state hotel accommodation in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Hon. Layode said: “We had a lot of challenges and most of them are from NAHCON.”
The commissioner specifically said the caterer selected to provide meals for the state pilgrims was using his own wisdom to select a menu that is not favourable to the people of the South- west.
He added that the pilgrims almost protested at Mina and many of them rejected the meals served and chose to go and buy food from vendors.
Hon. Layode said the accommodation provided for Lagos pilgrims in Makkah is not up to standard.
He, however, said despite these challenges, he disagrees with the call for the scrapping of NAHCON as is being done by some people, saying “you can’t throw away the baby with the bath water.”
He said: “ NAHCON themselves have agreed that there have been challenges this year which I believe as a government, we need to come together to sit down on a round table discussion and point to them some of these challenges and mistakes and find solutions to them against the hajj of 2025.”
