By JOSEPH ERUNKE
ABUJA – The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has said it would not hesitate to blame the Nigeria Immigration Service, in case of any further deportation of any intending Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The commission has equally directed all State Pilgrims Welfare Boards to ensure it carried out rigorous screening exercises so as to avoid return of any pilgrims who have already made it to Saudi Arabia.
It charged the Comptroller-General of Immigration to direct his officials responsible for processing of relevant documents for hajj to ensure all intending female pilgrims travel with their proper documentation and Mahram (male guardians).
Its chairman, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello, who spoke to reporters, in Abuja, Wednesday, shortly after an interactive session with relevant stakeholders of the board, said NAHCON was totally committed to ensuring that every intending pilgrim to Saudi Arabia perform the religious obligation without any hindrance.
He disclosed that already, a total of 47,000 pilgrims have so far been airlifted into the Holy land since the exercise began a few weeks ago.
Mallam Bello assured that pilgrims who were deported would be given an opportunity to go back to Saudi Arabia,saying it was not the intention of the commission to pass blames concerning the incident but to find solutions.
“Already, we have airlifted 47,000 pilgrims so far to Saudi Arabia, that would be 35per cent of the entire pilgrim delegation”,he hinted, disclosing further that the commission was working towards airlifting more than 40,000 pilgrims in 17days before the close of Jedda Airport.
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