LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
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- ‘926 pilgrims back home
Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs Ibrahim Layode has expressed displeasure over the performance of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for this year’s hajj.
Layode said the commission was responsible for most of the challenges faced by pilgrims. He called on NAHCON to convene a meeting with all states to discuss the challenges faced during the pilgrimage and plans towards preventing a recurrence.
“We had a lot of challenges and most of them are from NAHCON,” he said.
Layode specifically said the caterer selected to provide meals for the state’s pilgrims most times prepared meals that were not favourable to pilgrims from the Southwest. “The pilgrims almost protested at Mina and many of them eventually patronized food vendors,” Layode said.
The commissioner, however, disagreed with the call for the scrapping of NAHCON, saying ‘you can’t throw away the baby with the bath water’.
He added: “NAHCON leadership has agreed that there were challenges this year which I believe we need to discussion, note mistakes, take corrections and find solutions ahead of the next Hajj.”
The Amirul Hajj also said 926 the 1,869 pilgrims have been airlifted back home as at Wednesday.
The commissioner thanked the pilgrims for their patience and endurance, stressing that he is proud of their conduct despite obvious operational challenges. He also assured the remaining 943 pilgrims that they would be airlifted back in a short while.
Layode thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat for their unflinching support, especially by providing the shortfall of the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) to the pilgrims and also offsetting the cost of Rams, among other gestures.
