Following the early release of the 2024 hajj calendar by the Saudi Arabian ministry of hajj and umrah, a civil society organisation that monitors hajj and umrah activities in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, Independent Hajj Reporters, has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and state pilgrims welfare boards, agencies and commissions to begin the process for registration of intending pilgrims to 2024 hajj immediately.
The organisation in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Mohammed yesterday in Makkah, said the unveiling the 2024 hajj calendar of events almost immediately after the 2023 hajj ended had signaled a new hajj operating system for participating countries which are desirous of being part of next year’s hajj.
“With this announcement, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has indirectly rendered the usual one-year-at-time registration of pilgrims ineffective because the ministry of hajj has now made it operationally mandatory for countries to complete all arrangements for the next hajj four months after the current hajj,” he said.
IHR said more important is a new policy of allotment of tents in Mina on “first to ready, first to get” basis, thereby creating the need to fast-forward preparations for the 2024 hajj.
The statement further advised NAHCON, states Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, hajj and umrah operators to immediately begin preparations for the services to provide the pilgrims during the 2024 hajj.
