The Secretary to Kaduna State Government, Alhaji Lawal Balarabe Abbas, has directed the Overseer of the Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, Imam Hussain Tsoho, to liaise with the landlords of all the Houses where their pilgrims are lodged in Makka, so as to provide boosters that will enhance telecommunication services for their accommodation .

Alhaji Lawal Balarabe who gave this directive yesterday, said that it is necessary for pilgrims to communicate with their families at home. He emphasised that government is committed to pilgrims’ Welfare.

It will be recalled that some Kaduna State pilgrims had protested against the limited telecommunication services at their accommodation, an issue that elicited diverse comments on pilgrims social platform groups.

Speaking when he met with officials of the pilgrims board, the SSG said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been following the airlift of pilgrims from Nigeria to the Holy Land, adding that he has expressed satisfaction on the exercise so far.

The SSG further said that he has also monitored the Hajj exercise on both mainstream media and Hajj close groups platforms.

He added that he did not only inspect the Mando Hajj camp in Kaduna, but he also inspected the pilgrims’ accommodation in Makka.

According to him, the activities of Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board is one of the best in the country, adding that it returned only 60 seats out of the slots allocated to it by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), which represents the the lowest in the country.

Speaking during the meeting, the Overseer advised officials not to rest on their oars, having been up and doing in previous operations. He said that the SSG’s commendation should act as a catalyst for them to serve the pilgrims better .

This was contained in a statement issued by Kaduna State Pilgrims welfare board Public Relation officer, Yunusa Abdullahi.

Imam Tsoho emphasised that the task ahead is a daunting one, ranging from going to Muna, to Arafat, Muzdalifa and back to Muna before going to Jamarat.

In his own contribution, the Director of Operations, Alhaji Lawal Yakubu Ikara advised officials to ensure that pilgrims adhere to the new guidelines of stoning the devil ritual.

He warned that Saudi authorities are very serious about enforcing the guidelines and defaulters will be summarily deported.