The Lagos State government has refunded the 2022 Hajj fare to about 564 intending pilgrims that applied and paid but could not travel for the spiritual exercise.
The Government through its Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board said the intending pilgrims made payments between year 2019 and 2022.
It would be recalled that many intending pilgrims registered by the State could not perform the 2022 and other previous hajj exercise due to the measures put in place by the Saudi Arabian authority on Hajj operations.
Speaking at the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr. Anofiu Elegusi explained that it has become expedient to carry out the exercise of refund because they all applied for it.
The Commissioner who expressed worries over the incident appreciated the beneficiaries for their patience, cooperation and understanding before the refund was finally effected, stressing better days ahead.
“What we are doing is a process of refunding intending pilgrims that paid between 2019 and 2022 that we could not airlift to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, they wrote for their refund and we are paying them.”
“In 2020 and 2021, we were not able to make it to Saudi Arabia and that gave us the cumulative of pilgrims which ran over 4,000 and Saudi released the slots of 43,000 to Nigeria and Lagos was having 1,652 slots and that deficit impeded the process.”
“The amount they are receiving varies, some are getting One-point three million naira (N1,300,000.00) that is the initial amount before the increment in 2022 moved up to Two-point six-forty million naira (N2,640,000.00) while some other people are getting less,” he explained.
Elegushi assured the intending pilgrims who still left their money with the State Government for the year 2023 holy pilgrimage that they would be given priority when the operation eventually commences.
He added that forms would not be sold to new entrants until they are catered for in fulfillment of his promise.
According to him, “We are trying to let them know that Hajj is still on, if they intend to go, they only needed to fill a form and leave their money with us and they will be our priority in the next year Hajj.
“The operations is on already and we will be joining Saudi Authority next month in a meeting to know the amount of slot that will be given and to know if issue of age barrier will come up.”
Looking ahead, Elegushi stressed that the Pilgrims Board and the Ministry are coming up with intuitive ideas that will be beneficial to the intending pilgrims hoping to join the State in the next Hajj exercise.
Early preparation
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters, Mr. Abdullahi Jebe, thanked people for allowing Government to be in custody of their money as he promised a hitch-free 2023 Hajj exercise.
He said Hajj is spiritual and whoever God has ordained would not be denied, stressing that the Saudi Authority has learnt the lessons that characterized the last Hajj exercise and has activated the next Hajj preparation in earnest.
Promise kept
Chairman, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Imam Shakiru Gafar maintained that the exercise is about transparency, justice and promise made and kept.
He attributed the feat the State has been making in the previous Hajj to the unflinching support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat.
Gafar said that the State Muslim Pilgrims Board is very much committed to its mission of providing the intending pilgrims with best standard of Hajj operation.
Some of the intending pilgrims appreciated the State Government for fulfilling their promises on the refund with a promise to fly with the state whenever another opportunity knocks.
