Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said the deadline for payment for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage remains February 12, 2024.
It called on all intending pilgrims that have made their initial deposit to pay up the balance.
The director of FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abubakar Adamu-Evuti, who announced the deadline date, said for those that made initial deposit of N4.5million has the balance of N199,000 to make full deposit of N4.699 million.
Adamu-Evuti maintained that those that have interest to perform this year’s hajj but have not yet made any payment can use the four days window to do so.
He said that so far, over 2,000 intending pilgrims have paid for their fare out of 4,365 FCT allocations by the National Hajj commission, saying that the airlifting of intending pilgrims will start on May 19, while the orientation exercise ends in April.
“You are well aware that the National Hajj Commission, September last year flagged off the 2024 Hajj Season.
Just like other states we were directed to commence the season’s activity and we announced it to the public.
“The National Hajj Commission had pegged the initial deposit at 4.5 million naira. We told the intended pilgrims to go ahead to go to their banks and raise a draft in favour of FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to the 4.5million Naira that was pegged by the National Hajj Commission.
“The six area councils will have our representatives there, so whichever area council you want to raise the bank draft you can, because of proximity and convenience. You can raise your bank draft in the headquarters if you wish to raise your draft, pay and you’d be issued your receipt.
“We do not collect cash in the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, all payments are done in bank drafts, we issue receipts then we do issue a form immediately,” he said.
He further said that they expect intending pilgrims to go home with the form and fill it, and when they are submitting it, it should be with photographs and valid international passport, accompanied with a NIN slip with a valid National Identity Number.
“The National Hajj Commission had given the FCT an allocation of 4368 pilgrims. The process has begun since and we are now in February. Between that time to date we have registered close to 2500 pilgrims already.
“This season we have a challenge of timeline because the registration had always been open till day of take-off but the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has come up with a new timeline which indicates that all registrations, collection of data and payment by pilgrims must close at least 45 days before Arafat.
“In view of this, NAHCON has issued a statement that all registrations, collection of data and Hajj fares for the 2024 pilgrims should be closed by February 12. By March 1, issuance of Visa will begin and By April 29 issuance of Visa will also be closed.
“By May 9 or May 11, as the case may be, the first batch from Nigeria to the Holy Land will take off. We will adhere to these timelines strictly, considering the way and manner Saudi Arabia adheres to all the rules and regulations coming with that,” he said.
