50,000 Nigerians May Miss 2024 Hajj, Media Group Raises Alarm  

Unless the federal government act swiftly, over 50,000 intending Nigerian pilgrims may miss this year's Hajj exercise.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) raised the alarm following the additional N1.9m fee slammed on the intending pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON).

The national coordinator of the group, Alh. Ibrahim Abdullahi, said this could only be averted if the federal government approves concessional rates of dollars to naira for this year's Hajj exercise.

LEADERSHIP reports that NAHCON had on Sunday announced additional payment of N1.9 million by intending pilgrims who had earlier paid N4.9million for the exercise due to astronomical increase in the rate of dollars to naira in the last five months.

But, the MMWG national coordinator, who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the outcome of the group's extra-ordinary meeting held in Abuja, maintained that “without granting concessional rate for dollars to Naira, it would be difficult for over 50,000 Nigerian pilgrims who have paid so far, to participate in the important religious duty of Hajj.”

He maintained that granting concessional exchange rates for Hajj annually has been a ritual by the past administrations in Nigeria.

Abdullahi, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene to save this situation, which according to him, has reached a critical stage.

He reminded the federal government that though Hajj is a religious obligation, its positive impact on the lives of the people and people in governance is very significant, adding that Nigeria needed spiritual intervention to move out of the present socio-economic situation as well as insecurity pervading the country.

He added that, “granting that concession could pave way for the success of Tinubu as beneficiaries would pray hard for the President and his noble administration in the holy lands of Makkah and Madinah.”

He, however, commended NAHCON for its untiring efforts over the matter and appealed to the intending pilgrims to be calm.