Pilgrims Await NAHCON’s Refund Of N512.93m

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has failed to release 1.27 million Saudi Riyal — equivalent to about N512.93 million at N447.72 to one Saudi Riyal – in Hajj refunds to Nigerian pilgrims who performed the 2023 and 2024 hajj exercises through private companies after receiving the funds from Saudi Arabia.

An investigation by LEADERSHIP Weekend, revealed that a Saudi Arabian company, Ithra’a Al Joud, paid NAHCON 873,000 Saudi Riyal for Hajj 2023 (1444AH) and 405,000 for Hajj 2024 (1445AH) respectively, totalling 1.27 million Saudi Riyal (equivalent to N512.93 million) as refunds for poor services at Masha’ir during the 2023 and 2024 hajj.

However, several months after receiving the refund from the Saudi Arabian company, NAHCON failed to acknowledge and disclose the 1.27 million Saudi Riyal (N512.93 million) refunds to the beneficiary private tour operators, who were listed by Ithra’a Al Joud in their official communication to the commission.

Tour operators under the umbrella of the Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON), in a letter dated January 23, 2025 and addressed to the chairman and CEO of NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, appealed to him to approve the release of the payments to its members to ease their preparation for the 2025 hajj operations.

The AHUON’s letter, jointly signed by its national president, Abdullateef Yusuf Ekundayo, and national secretary, Nasir Muhammed Chamo, stated that their members had faced numerous difficulties, including legal processes, due to the crisis generated by the delayed refunds. They suggested a meeting with the commission’s team to discuss the modalities for the payment of the refunds, but NAHCON remains adamant in its refusal to respond to AHUON’s plea and request for a meeting.

When contacted, the acting secretary of NAHCON, Alhaji Alidu Shutti, declined to comment on the matter and directed the correspondent to contact AD Media at the commission.

“I would advise you to contact NAHCON AD Media, who has the mandate to address media issues. I appreciate your understanding,” Shutti responded to the questions sent to him via WhatsApp.

NAHCON’s head of public affairs, Muhammad Ahmad Musa, stated that refunds were made to states and tour operators for pilgrim services that were not rendered satisfactorily during the 2023 hajj, not 2024. He failed to provide the requested details and breakdown of the refunds to the pilgrims who participated in the 2023 hajj.