The Affiliation of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) has urged the Nationwide Hajj Fee of Nigeria (NAHCON) to cease blackmailing its members and inform Nigerians simple reality about what it referred to as the unlucky however avoidable incidents at ‘Tent A’ in Muna the place Nigerian dignitaries had been subjected to myriads of harassment and shame through the just-concluded 2024 Hajj train within the Kingdom Saudi Arabia.
The affiliation, in an announcement collectively signed by its nationwide president, Abdullateef Yusuf Ekundayo, and normal secretary, Muhammad Nasil Chamo, stated it will have most well-liked to maintain fairly after its consideration was drawn to the world press convention held by NAHCON in Abuja, however selected to set the report straight for the advantage of unsuspecting Nigerians.
It described the posture by the NAHCON that every one went nicely through the 2024 Hajj train as deceptive and urged the fee to inform Nigerians what number of pilgrims participated within the Tent A companies and from the place these giant numbers of pilgrims received their visas from, and entry permits to the VIP camps.
“As regards the ‘Tent A’ debacle, below regular observe, our members are liable for the acquisition of the VIP tent on behalf of pilgrims by way of the Hajj e-track. This yr, it was on report that 27 corporations bought Tent A service on behalf of 616 pilgrims solely, on the Hajj e-track portal. Nevertheless, NAHCON by way of their accomplices on the service supplier’s workplace created extra off-the-record tents exterior the e-track system that had been bought and paid for in money, a day to the start of ha rites. The fee ought to inform Nigerians what number of pilgrims participated within the Tent A companies and from the place these giant numbers of pilgrims received their visas from, entry allow to the VIP camps.
“It’s, due to this fact, an unfounded allegation to blackmail our members because the culprits on the difficulty. We dare to ask the Fee that collected $100 service cost on every of our pilgrims (whole about $1,400,000.00) amounting to over N2 billion and won’t liaise with the service supplier to make sure that service paid for is delivered absolutely to our Nigerian pilgrims. We additionally problem NAHCON to call these Tour Operators they claimed had been concerned in Tent A racketeering.
“AHOUN is not going to proceed to face and watch the organisation that’s supposed to advertise transparency, good ethics and self-discipline within the administration of Hajj within the nation conniving to deprive the unsuspecting pilgrims of their proper to environment friendly and stress-free ha yearly. We will’t proceed to look at our large and legit investments being rubbished and made scapegoats yearly by an organisation that by regulation ought to help our members to ship the suitable companies to Nigerian pilgrims,” AHOUN assertion learn partially.
The affiliation whereas calling on the Nationwide Meeting, as a part of its oversight capabilities, to probe the fee on these and different points referring to the administration of Hajj in Nigeria, stated not one of the worldwide pilgrims acquired a dime from the N90 billion graciously authorised and launched as subsidy to ease the burden of the excessive alternate fee for pilgrims.
“We due to this fact name upon the management of the Nationwide Meeting as a part of their oversight capabilities, to research additional, past the beauty ‘world press convention’ on these and different points referring to the administration of Hajj in Nigeria. We might additionally prefer to name on the NAHCON management to look inward and cease wanting away and blaming our members for his or her perpetual failures to ship clean and hitch-free Hajj for the Nigerians pilgrim, yr in yr out.
“We wish Nigerians to know that not one of the worldwide Pilgrims acquired a dime out of the N90 Billion, graciously authorised and launched as subsidy to ease the burden of the excessive alternate fee, regardless of many guarantees by the Fee that our Pilgrims will likely be thought of in any concession that’s acquired from the federal government.
“For the previous 8 years, (with exception of the publish COVID-19,Hajj),the Ministry of Hajj of Saudi Arabia allocates 20,000 slots for the Nigerian non-public Tour Operators (Worldwide) which AHOUN represents and 75,000 to the standard Pilgrims.
“This yr, about 14,000 Pilgrims carried out the Hajj train by way of the worldwide section. However we repeat, none of our members benefited from the N90 Billion as NAHCON claimed to have distributed to Nigerians Pilgrims regardless of our calls for,” the group added.
