The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has announced a deadline for entry and exit from Saudi Arabia for Umrah, ahead of the year’s Hajj.
This was contained in a statement signed by NAHCON’s Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Fatima Sanda Usara, on Tuesday.
The statement, which was signed on behalf of the Commission’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, called on all stakeholders to work together.
It indicated that NAHCON has received an official notice from Saudi Arabia informing it that “13th April is the deadline for those who wish to enter the kingdom for Umrah, and 29th April is the deadline for those in kingdom for Umrah to exit the country in preparation for this year Hajj”.
Usara further disclosed that the notice said any violation would attract a fine of SR100,000 (one hundred thousand Saudi Riyals), appealing to all Umrah pilgrims to be guided by the latest directive, so as to avoid any embarrassment.
Meanwhile, the Commission lamented that recently, it has witnessed a series of bickering and exchanges in the media, a development, it noted, was coming at a critical period when preparations for Hajj are at the peak.
Usara related that on the positive side, these exchanges reflect the keen interest of various stakeholders in ensuring the success of Hajj, maintaining that despite varied opinions, all parties share a common concern for the welfare of the pilgrims.
She said: “That said, the back-and-forth also indicates a possible gap in understanding the specific roles and responsibilities of the different actors within the Hajj industry. This misunderstanding is perhaps responsible for some of the frictions being experienced as more efforts are geared towards the successful delivery of Hajj 2025.
Also Read
“It is worth recalling that since the assumption of office by the new NAHCON Chairman, Prof Abdullahi Saleh Usman, there has hardly been sufficient time to convene a stakeholders’ conference or retreat where roles, responsibilities, and limitations of each party could be clearly spelt out. Also recall that before his untimely exit from office, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi had indeed planned to hold such a retreat to address contentious issues and promote smoother operations going forward.
“The Commission fully understands these dynamics and, therefore, appeals to all stakeholders to kindly prioritize collaboration towards the immediate goal of delivering a successful Hajj exercise. We assure all concerned that, by Allah’s grace, the Commission will convene such a retreat after the Hajj, where all issues can be thoroughly discussed and amicably resolved.”
NAHCON declared that for now, stakeholders’ collective priority should be to ensure the success of the forthcoming Hajj, especially considering the huge financial, emotional, and spiritual investments that pilgrims have made in order to discharge the spiritual obligation.
“Let not our differences of understanding affect the trust reposed on us to serve our pilgrims efficiently,” NAHCON advised.
Post Views: 29
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
