• Home
  • News
    • Nigeria
    • Africa
    • Middle East
    • World
    • Features
    • Interviews
    • New Edition
    • Muslim News
  • Analysis
    • Islam & Media
  • Perspectives
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
    • Editorial
    • Letters
    • Al-Fahm
  • Islam-tainment
    • Sports
    • Arts
    • Poetry
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Investigations
  • iGuide
    • Testimony
    • Salah
    • Zakat
    • Fasting
    • Muslim Personalities
  • DONATE
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Muslim News Nigeria
  • Home
  • News
    • Nigeria
    • Africa
    • Middle East
    • World
    • Features
    • Interviews
    • New Edition
    • Muslim News
  • Analysis
    • Islam & Media
  • Perspectives
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
    • Editorial
    • Letters
    • Al-Fahm
  • Islam-tainment
    • Sports
    • Arts
    • Poetry
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Investigations
  • iGuide
    • Testimony
    • Salah
    • Zakat
    • Fasting
    • Muslim Personalities
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Nigeria
    • Africa
    • Middle East
    • World
    • Features
    • Interviews
    • New Edition
    • Muslim News
  • Analysis
    • Islam & Media
  • Perspectives
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
    • Editorial
    • Letters
    • Al-Fahm
  • Islam-tainment
    • Sports
    • Arts
    • Poetry
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Investigations
  • iGuide
    • Testimony
    • Salah
    • Zakat
    • Fasting
    • Muslim Personalities
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
Muslim News Nigeria
No Result
View All Result

Matters Arising: NAHCON meets Saudi company, discusses pilgrims’ plights, as tents, feeding top agenda

by Muslim News Nigeria
2 years ago
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Matters Arising: NAHCON meets Saudi company, discusses pilgrims’ plights, as tents, feeding top agenda

By Rasheed Abubakar, Makkah

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has demanded refund from the Saudi Arabian government over poor feeding of Nigerian pilgrims at the just concluded Hajj 2023.

The commission also made a case for the return of feeding arrangement to home countries in order to serve pilgrims better.

These were the highlights of the meeting between NAHCON and the Company of Mutawifs for Pilgrims from African Non-Arab Countries, otherwise known as Muassasa, in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, July 2.

The meeting had in attendance NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, who led commissioners and other management staff of the commission; and on the other side representatives of the Muassasa – the host country.

In his remarks at the meeting, the NAHCON Chairman lamented the poor feeding arrangement faced by Nigerian pilgrims, including the tent glitch that left many pilgrims stranded under the sun at Muna.

He said the feedback the commission got from the Nigerian contingents showed they were in pain, but they did not know NAHCON was helpless.

Tent

“The issue of the tent caused inconveniences for our pilgrims. Our belief is that using the same tent as last year which was for about 48,000 pilgrims cannot be adequate for pilgrims of this year running into 95,000. Last year’s hajj was nearly managed. So, as we were going to Muna, we already sensed that there would be challenges, with or without illegal invasions.

“It’s been a long time since we had hajj in this kind of harsh weather. Majority of our pilgrims found themselves under the sun for days; nowhere to go. Many of them don’t know the best we can do as an Hajj mission is to complain. We had no power or control over the tents. We were just as helpless as they were. It’s really not a good one for the pilgrims. Many of them have saved for years to come. Some of them will have it as their only experience.

Catering

“The second one is the issue of catering. As for catering also, the best we could do was to complain. Our only contribution as far as catering is concerned is just the money. We have no other contributions. We don’t know the caterers. You can give me food worth 100 riyals, but if it’s not the food I’m used to, then you have just wasted the money. The way a Nigerian will cook rice is different from the way other nationals will cook rice. So, no matter how much you try, the rice is not something he will like eating.

“Many foods were left untouched. Some of the food came very late. That is why some of the invaders had their way because they were selling food. And the food is what our pilgrims are used to from their home country, so they found them more attractive. This allowed the invasion to fester and it turned the whole thing into a horrible situation.”

Invasion by illegal pilgrims

Alhaji Hassan described the invasions by illegal pilgrims at Muna as embarrassing, urging the Saudi Arabian authorities to checkmate the trend because NAHCON had no control over the situation.

“I don’t know the percentage, but we saw people who had no business being there. So, a few days later in Muna, those people turned the whole place into a market, a bazaar and a carnival. At that time, the whole essence of hajj was almost lost,” he said.

“We are not in a position to checkmate them. We do not have security control. So, there is no way we could check the invasions. The appropriate authorities to check them are our host, not us.”

State pilgrim boards, AHOUN back NAHCON

Speaking on behalf of the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, the Executive Secretary of Adamawa Pilgrims’ Welfare Board Abubakar Salihu agreed with the request of the NAHCON Chairman, saying that returning feeding arrangement back to Nigeria will put an end to pilgrims’ plight.

Salihu pointed out that there were instances where pilgrims were not fed lunch during their stay in Muna and Arafat, adding that all the states were unanimous on returning the feeding of pilgrims to the Commission.

Also speaking, the spokesman for the Pilgrims Tour Operators, Yahaya Sulaiman on behalf of the tour operators said their integrity is at stake because as business operators, they are supposed to give good services to their customers, but it turned out to be bad.

Mu’assasa reacts

Reacting to the observations raised by the NAHCON Chairman, the Vice President of Mu’assasa, Bader Ali Bafakeek said the company would review all the issues raised and come up with a response later.

While noting that NAHCON is a customer, he added that all the concerns are important to them and will be investigated.

“We have noted all your comments. It will be on the top of our agenda. You mentioned concerns on feeding, that many of our Nigerian brothers did not have a touch of Nigerian food. Another one is about the tent and spaces. The issue is that the spaces given to us at Mina are limited. You mentioned the issue of water in the toilet too. We will sit again to discuss all of these concerns after going through our reports.

“Basically, these concerns are important to us. We can’t give you a response on them right now. If I give you an answer now, it may not be accurate. I have to go back to do my investigations too to have the evidence. Then, we will come back to discuss all of these in detail. We need to understand the issues. We can then decide together to have a win-win situation, he added.

Sponsored

SUPPORT MUSLIM NEWS NIGERIA

With your generous financial contributions to MUSLIM NEWS, you are helping to sustain a culture of journalistic integrity that promotes tranquil Islamic values and ensures it remains free and available to all.

BANK TRANSFER

Rawshield PR Company

0568624004

Guaranty Trust Bank

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: Hajj 2023Mu'assasaNAHCON
Previous Post

Hajj 2023: Airlifting of Nigerian pilgrims back home begins Tuesday 

Next Post

Hajj 2023: Sanwo-Olu condoles as Lagos loses pilgrim in Makkah

Next Post
Hajj 2023: Sanwo-Olu condoles as Lagos loses pilgrim in Makkah

Hajj 2023: Sanwo-Olu condoles as Lagos loses pilgrim in Makkah

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Post

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Oloyede retains third position on the list of Top 5 Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the year 2019 

We stand in solidarity with JAMB Registrar – MUSWEN 

May 16, 2025
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Oloyede retains third position on the list of Top 5 Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the year 2019 

“You are an epitome of accountability” — TMC applauds JAMB Boss Oloyede’s integrity over UTME glitch

May 16, 2025
President Tinubu celebrates JAMB registrar Oloyede at 70

Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society praises JAMB registrar for integrity, transparency amid 2025 exam glitch

May 16, 2025
United States signs $1.2 trillion with Qatar during Trump’s visit to Doha

United States signs $1.2 trillion with Qatar during Trump’s visit to Doha

May 16, 2025

Donate to Muslim News

Nigerians and the world need alternative journalism that unites Muslims; promotes Islam and spreads the universality of its true message.

If you help Allah’s cause, Allah will help you. Qur’an 22:40

Muslim News Nigeria is committed to reporting Islam and happenings in the Muslim world in accordance with Islamic principles based on truth and truth-telling (siddiq and haqq), pedagogy (tabligh), seeking the best for the public interest (maslahah), and moderation (wasatiyyah).

We have a fold of professional, conscious and devoted Muslims who work tirelessly on stories and those who donate to assist the cause.

News reporting and production is a process with different stages, each with its cost implication. Hence, as we appreciate existing supporters and sponsors, we look forward to more donations from well-meaning Muslims and members of the general public.

Your kind gesture will make our work seamless.

Donate now!!!

Rawshield PR Company,
GTB Account: 0568624004

About Us

Muslim News, a publication of Rawshield PR Media, is a mouthpiece for underreported Muslim achievers and events in Nigeria and across the world, which are never given prominence in the mainstream media.

Email: muslimnewsng@gmail.com
Tel: +234 805 240 4597

Our Mission

To give special media attention and coverage to important people and events in the life of Muslims that do not gain mainstream media attention, and to change the media narrative of blaming Islam and Muslims for offences committed in its lofty name.

About Us

Muslim News, a publication of Rawshield PR Media, is a mouthpiece for underreported Muslim achievers and events in Nigeria and across the world, which are never given prominence in the mainstream media.

Email: muslimnewsng@gmail.com
Tel: +234 906 869 5152

Our Mission

To give special media attention and coverage to important people and events in the life of Muslims that do not gain mainstream media attention, and to change the media narrative of blaming Islam and Muslims for offences committed in its lofty name.

Editorial Policy

We shall be fair to all persons, irrespective of their religions and ideologies, as long as that promotes the image of Islam and unites the Muslims. We shall also uphold the ethical standards of journalism, as allowed by Islamic ethics.

Support Muslim News

Rawshield PR Company

0568624004

Guaranty Trust Bank

  • Home
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Perspectives
  • Islam-tainment
  • Multimedia
  • iGuide
  • DONATE

© 2022 Published by RawshieldPR

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Nigeria News
  • Africa News
  • Middle East News
  • World News
  • Sports News
  • Support Muslim News Nigeria

© 2022 Published by RawshieldPR