The Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) has issued a response to a press release from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) dated September 27 in which NAHCON asserted that preparations for Hajj 2025 would proceed with or without the involvement of AHUON, stating that Arafat will still hold on the stipulated date.
While AHUON clarified it does not dispute NAHCON’s position, the association took issue with the commission’s claim of continuous communication between the two organizations. According to AHUON, this portrayal is misleading.
The association stated that although it had sent five letters to NAHCON since the conclusion of Hajj 2024 in June, the commission only responded to one on September 24.
AHUON’s National President, Alhaji Lateef Ekundayo, in a statement, expressed concerns over NAHCON’s failure to address the association’s key demands.
He also criticised NAHCON’s handling of dialogue requests, noting that a meeting scheduled for June in Makkah was declined by the commission. Instead, AHUON was only invited for a discussion on September 10, leading Ekundayo to question NAHCON’s commitment to open dialogue.
“We had to wait till the 10th of September, 2024 when they decided to invite us. How can NAHCON say they are open to dialogue with the Association?” he queried.
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In the statement, AHUON accused NAHCON of misleading the public by suggesting the association was delaying preparations for the 2025 Hajj. Ekundayo argued that NAHCON is prioritising the 20,000 slots allocated to tour operators over the 75,000 assigned to State Pilgrims Boards, suggesting that the commission’s focus is primarily financial.
Furthermore, the association raised several unresolved issues with NAHCON, including claims that the commission owes its members over N15 billion in refunds from previous Hajj operations.
This sum includes payments for services not rendered, poorly delivered services, and unreturned caution deposits. AHUON also alleged that NAHCON had failed to refund over N2.7 billion in caution deposits collected from tour operators during the last Hajj, despite agreements that the funds would be returned within two weeks of the event’s conclusion.
“For the records, we want to let the public understand that we are not in any way denying the right of the Commission as the regulator to go on with 2025 Hajj preparation, they have 75,000 pilgrims to worry about. However, as it affects our members, the Commission should be sincere enough to address the several pending issues,” AHUON stated.
AHUON called on NAHCON to address these financial issues rather than diverting attention by passing judgment on who would participate in Hajj 2025.
“Only Allah, whose call we answer to the Holy Land, can decide who performs Hajj 2025,” the statement concluded.
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