By David Kabiyesi
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has taken a drastic step to avoid Saudi Arabia’s sanction at the on-going Hajj.
With host country, Saudi Arabia threatening to sanction any country found wanting in the area of overcrowding, NAHCON has device a means that willsee Madina-based pilgrims from Nigeria move to Makkah five days after arrival.
This was contained in a statement released by NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Information, Mousa Ubandawaki, who said the policy will take affects from today
“The commission had to adopt the new policy after wide consultations and exhaustive deliberation. Moreover, it is a known fact that Nigerian pilgrims live in the exclusive Markaziyya area during their stay, a decision which has been overwhelmingly commended and for which the commission never intended to compromise.”
“As tough a decision this may seem, we felt it is a necessary action we need to take so that we won’t be at the receiving end of Saudi laws, and at the same time it was considered more utilitarian for Nigerian pilgrims to spend five days in Madina thereby allowing more pilgrims to travel to Madina in the first phase from where they would be moved to Makkah to continue with their Hajj rites than to delay their departure for wants of bed spaces in the Prophet’s city,” Ubandawaki said.
