Lagos, Nigeria - The Kebbi State government has released N1 billion to the National Hajj Commission as part payment for processing fees for its intending pilgrims.
The Chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Usman Suru, told journalists in Birnin Kebbi yesterday that the payment represented 50 percent of the money to be remitted to the commission.
He said 5,700 intending pilgrims were expected to perform the hajj.
Suru said the agency had secured accommodation close to the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina for easy access by the pilgrims, and that the outstanding balance would be paid to the commission within three weeks.
Suru warned that any pilgrim who failed to pay his fee on time would forfeit his seat.
It was reported that the state government had fixed N380,000 as minimum deposit for the intending pilgrims, pending when the National Hajj Commission would announce the actual rates.
Meanwhile, guarantors of Christian pilgrims who abscond in Israel will henceforth, pay a fine of $5,000. Mr Zakka Magaji, the Special Adviser to Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State on Christian Pilgrims Affairs, made this known yesterday while on a sensitisation tour.
Magaji said the measure was to check cases of people absconding "because in previous years, some pilgrims who cannot travel overseas used the pilgrimage as an alternative means". He warned intending guarantors to only stand for those with proven integrity to avoid getting into trouble.
The special adviser explained that the tour was to enlighten intending pilgrims on how best to perform religious rites while in Israel.
He also warned that the board would not allocate seats to those who had performed the rites upto three times to pave way for new pilgrims.