Tag Archives: Pilgrims

Hajj 2017: Pilgrims To Pay N1m In 4 Months

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The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has urged intending pilgrims to deposit a monthly minimum of N250 thousand for four months or N1million once to the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions (SPWB).

The commissioner for Personnel Policy Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim made the call yesterday in Abuja after NAHCON meeting with Chief Executives of the SPWB.

He said the payment which commences December will end in April 2017, when the commission would announce official fares for the 2017 hajj.

Daily Trust reports that intending pilgrims for 2016 hajj exercise paid minimum fare of N998, 248.92 (with $750 Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), medium fare N1, 047, 498.92 (with $1,000 BTA), and maximum fare N1, 145, 998.92 (with $1,500 BTA) for the northern departure zones.

While pilgrims for the southern departure zones paid, minimum fare N1, 008, 197.42 (with $750 BTA), medium fare (with $1,000 BTA) N1, 057, 447.42 while the maximum fare N1, 155, 947.42 (with $1,500 BTA).

“We want to maintain the accommodations in the Markasiyya areas in Madinah and want to extend same in Makkah. We want to ensure that accommodations for Nigerians in Saudi Arabia will not be more than 1km to Haram in the two cities. We want to improve on the gains of last year, if you plan well, you get better results,” Ibrahim said.

He also said the commission would make the fares announcement based on the official currency exchange rate.

When asked to clarify on the new visa fees and rules by the Saudi Arabia Authority, Ibrahim said they are yet to be formally notified by the Kingdom as there were meetings with Saudi Arabia Ambassador who did not mentioned the amount.

Credit: dailytrust

Christian Commission Moves To Prevent Pilgrims Absconding

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The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) said it has put in place measures to prevent absconding during Christian pilgrimage.

Rev. Tor Uja, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), made this known at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja

He described pilgrims’ defection after the spiritual exercise as “a sore point” for the country.

According to him, in future only people duly employed and married will perform the Christian pilgrimage so as to check absconding of pilgrims.

“Absconding is a sore point in pilgrimage because even those foreign nations, they want to lure Nigerian youths to stay in their countries. Because Nigerians are energetic, they are brilliant and they are dependable.

“So, many of these foreign nations want to lure them. So, the structures we have put in place include what I have said before, screening.

“We want to limit those who don’t have any proper engagement or family commitment even though they may be sincere”.

He said that pilgrims would not be easily lured when they have responsibilities back home in Nigeria.

Uja told NAN that the engagement of security operatives to monitor the pilgrims is another measure taken by the commission to stall pilgrims’ defection.

He said the commission would also continue to give pilgrims orientations to discourage them from absconding after the exercise.

The executive secretary pointed out that being a faceless person in a foreign country is worse than remaining a poor Nigerian at home.

Uja advised defectors to return to Nigeria in order to contribute their quota to national urged churches to take ownership of the Christian pilgrimage.

The executive secretary explained that the goal of the commission has been to reposition and create a new orientation to Christians and the Church on pilgrimage.

He said that the churches’ participation in the spiritual exercise would enable Christian pilgrims to derive the maximum benefits of the exercise.

Credit: NAN

 

Hajj: Medview Airline rounds off operations with 772 pilgrims

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Medview Airline completed the airlift of Pilgrims for the 2016 Hajj back to Nigeria yesterday with a successful airlift of about 772 pilgrims.

The airline last two flights for the NAHCON assignment arrived Port Harcourt International airport and Kaduna International airport respectively on Monday.

The flight to Port Harcourt had 452 pilgrims from Rivers, Edo, Delta , Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Cross River states while that of Kaduna had 320 pilgrims on board.

While giving praise to Allah for a successful Hajj operations, the Managing Director/CEO of the airline Alhaji Muneer Bankole commended NAHCON and the Federal Government for the necessary structures put in place to ensure a hitch-free Hajj exercise.

He also commended the Federal Government for all the efforts it is making to bring about peace and stability in all parts of the country.

Medview airline deployed 3 wide body aircraft – B747-300, B777-200 and B767-300 for the hajj operations.

Medview Airline is among the three carriers contracted by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the 2016 Hajj operations. The airline has also made the record of being the first to carry out the NAHCON assignment at a record time.

Apart from the last batch of pilgrims, Med-View Airlines had few weeks ago hit 300,000 milestone of successful airlifting of pilgrims to and fro the Holy Land since 2006.

The figure was disclosed recently by the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Med-View, Alhaji Muneer Bankole.

According to Bankole, the fast growing airline had airlifted over 300,000 pilgrims since it started Hajj operations 10 years ago, while attributing the airline’s successes in the past decade to sincerity, honesty and commitment to the job.

He commended the cooperation and maturity displayed by the pilgrims during the Hajj exercise which coincided with the 10th anniversary of the airline’s foray into Hajj operations.

Meanwhile, pilgrims who travelled through Med-View Konsult have hailed the services provided by the agency which is an arm of Med-View Airline, saying the agency, through its various initiatives ensured they had a remarkable Hajj experience.

One novel initiative of Med-View Airline, according to the pilgrims, was the provision of free feeding for them in the morning and evening both in Makkah and Madinah.

They said they were able to perform all the rites of Hajj without stress owing to the ample enlightenment and lecture provided by Med-View team.

According to Mr. Ahmed Ojikutu, one of the pilgrims, in as much as there is always room for improvement, Med-View Travels Konsult had done excellently well in ensuring that the pilgrims performed the religious obligations in line with the dictates of Almighty Allah and traditions of Prophet Mohammad.

Med-View Head of Enlightenment, Imam Abdulsalam Abdulraheem had also advised the pilgrims not to return to their old bad ways of life which they had vowed to relinquish during the Hajj, saying they are now like new born babies without any sin.

2016 Hajj: Saudi Authority commends Nigerian pilgrims

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A Saudi minister in charge of Hajj on Thursday commended Nigerian pilgrims to this year’s pilgrimage for their discipline and comportment at the airport in Jeddah.

Abdullah Marghalani, who is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Affairs, made the commendation when he received the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, in his office at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah.

He said since the start of the operation, he had not received any information of any misbehaviour by any Nigerian pilgrim.

The minister also commended the dedication and hardwork of officials of the commission at the airport, adding that their action had contributed to the smooth flight operation being experienced in the homebound journey.

“Both your pilgrims and staff have been cooperating with us in the task of delivering seemless service at the airport,’’ Marghalani said.

The official pledged to continue to work closely with the officials to ensure smooth operation.

He suggested for more enlightenment programmes for the pilgrims to enable them understand activities involved in the pilgrimage to ensure smooth operation at all levels.

Earlier, the chairman of the commission had commended the minister and his staff for their cooperation, which he said had greatly eased the operation at the airport.

He assured the official that Nigerian pilgrims and officials would continue to cooperate with the Saudi authorities to ensure improvement in the activities of the pilgrimage.

Mohammed congratulated the Saudi government and citizens on the occasion of the Saudi National Day, which was observed on Thursday.

Kaduna Pilgrims to Enjoy Telecom Services

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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.

3 Nigerian Pilgrims Arrested In Saudi For Drug Trafficking

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The Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested three Nigerians for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine.
According to NAN, the three suspects were in the country for the Hajj exercise. The Executive Secretary, Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hajia Fatima Abolore-Jimoh confirmed the arrest yesterday from Saudi Arabia in a telephone interview. She said the three pilgrims, who were among the first batch of 505 Pilgrims from Kwara State, were arrested in Madinnah by Saudi Arabia security operatives.
Hajia Fatima Abolore-Jimoh, who did not disclose the identities of the three suspects, said they were still in the custody of Saudi Arabian authorities as at the time of filing this report.
She said the Saudi Arabian law would certainly take its course on the three suspected drug traffickers. She described the arrest as unfortunate and painful in spite of several appeals to them to be good ambassadors of Kwara and Nigeria. Saudi Arabia has one of the toughest law on drug trafficking as the crime is punishable by beheading.
The executive secretary said that other pilgrims from the state were still in Madinnah, hale, healthy and in good spirit in spite of the unfortunate incident. 1 978 pilgrims from the state are performing the 2016 pilgrimage exercise.

Credit:

http://sunnewsonline.com/3-nigerian-pilgrims-arrested-in-saudi-for-drug-trafficking/