N90bn Hajj Subsidy: Stop Blackmailing Us, Tell Nigerians The Truth, AHUON Replies NAHCON

The Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to stop blackmailing its members and tell Nigerians undeniable truth about what it called the unfortunate but avoidable incidents at ‘Tent A’ in Muna where Nigerian dignitaries were subjected to myriads of harassment and disgrace during the just-concluded 2024 Hajj exercise in the Kingdom Saudi Arabia.

The association, in a statement jointly signed by its national president, Abdullateef Yusuf Ekundayo, and general secretary, Muhammad Nasil Chamo, said it would have preferred to keep quite after its attention was drawn to the world press conference held by NAHCON in Abuja, but chose to set the record straight for the benefit of unsuspecting Nigerians.

It described the posture by the NAHCON that all went well during the 2024 Hajj exercise as misleading and urged the commission to tell Nigerians how many pilgrims participated in the Tent A services and from where those large numbers of pilgrims got their visas from, and access permits to the VIP camps.

“As regards the ‘Tent A’ debacle, under normal practice, our members are responsible for the purchase of the VIP tent on behalf of pilgrims through the Hajj e-track. This year, it was on record that 27 companies purchased Tent A service on behalf of 616 pilgrims only, on the Hajj e-track portal. However, NAHCON through their accomplices at the service provider’s office created additional off-the-record tents outside the e-track system that were purchased and paid for in cash, a day to the beginning of ha rites. The commission should tell Nigerians how many pilgrims participated in the Tent A services and from where those large numbers of pilgrims got their visas from, access permit to the VIP camps.

“It is, therefore, an unfounded allegation to blackmail our members as the culprits on the issue. We dare to ask the Commission that collected $100 service charge on each of our pilgrims (total about $1,400,000.00) amounting to over N2 billion and will not liaise with the service provider to ensure that service paid for is delivered fully to our Nigerian pilgrims. We also challenge NAHCON to name those Tour Operators they claimed were involved in Tent A racketeering.

“AHOUN will not continue to stand and watch the organisation that is supposed to promote transparency, good ethics and discipline in the management of Hajj in the country conniving to deprive the unsuspecting pilgrims of their right to efficient and stress-free ha every year. We can’t continue to watch our huge and legitimate investments being rubbished and made scapegoats every year by an organisation that by law should support our members to deliver the right services to Nigerian pilgrims,” AHOUN statement read in part.

The association while calling on the National Assembly, as part of its oversight functions, to probe the commission on these and other issues relating to the management of Hajj in Nigeria, said none of the international pilgrims received a dime from the N90 billion graciously approved and released as subsidy to ease the burden of the high exchange rate for pilgrims.

“We therefore call upon the leadership of the National Assembly as part of their oversight functions, to investigate further, beyond the cosmetic ‘world press conference’ on these and other issues relating to the management of Hajj in Nigeria. We would also like to call on the NAHCON leadership to look inward and stop looking away and blaming our members for their perpetual failures to deliver smooth and hitch-free Hajj for the Nigerians pilgrim, year in year out.

“We would like Nigerians to know that none of the international Pilgrims received a dime out of the N90 Billion, graciously approved and released as subsidy to ease the burden of the high exchange rate, despite many promises by the Commission that our Pilgrims will be considered in any concession that is received from the government.

“For the past 8 years, (with exception of the post COVID-19,Hajj),the Ministry of Hajj of Saudi Arabia allocates 20,000 slots for the Nigerian private Tour Operators (International) which AHOUN represents and 75,000 to the conventional Pilgrims.

“This year, about 14,000 Pilgrims performed the Hajj exercise through the international segment. But we repeat, none of our members benefited from the N90 Billion as NAHCON claimed to have distributed to Nigerians Pilgrims despite our demands,” the group added.