The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has acknowledged receipt of refunds money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for various services not rendered to pilgrims of previous unspecified Hajj seasons.
However, NAHCON cannot immediately continue refunds to pilgrims because of the unavailability of details for the actual year and services not rendered.
This position was made known by NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication Department, Fatima Usara, in a statement, explaining that details were not attached to the reasons for the refunds, or whom they were meant for and the amount each pilgrim was to receive.
According to the statement: “Consequent upon this predicament, the Chairman of the Commission Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman craves the indulgence of pilgrims and the larger public on the stalemate preventing NAHCON from releasing the remaining monies lodged in its account.
“The Commission is still awaiting explanations of these refunds, without which the Hajj House cannot make payments. For the benefit of clearing any doubts, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria received in five tranches the sum of SR 20,716, 035.2 (20 million Saudi Riyals, seven hundred and sixteen thousand, thirty-five point two Halalas) as various categories of unexplained refunds. Of these total, NAHCON received an explanation only over the disbursement of SR 150 each for the 95,000 pilgrims that participated in the 2023 Hajj, which we have already done.
“This amount covers matters relating to electricity supply in Masha’ir locations. The refund has since been released to the state pilgrims’ welfare boards and private tour operators for onward dispensation to their respective pilgrims. Hence NAHCON is still anticipating narration on a total of SR6m,466,035.15.”
The statement further said that Professor Saleh assures the affected pilgrims and their respective officials that as soon as NAHCON receives full details of refunds vis-a-vis beneficiaries, reasons for the refunds and the amount accruable to each beneficiary, the remaining amount will be disbursed immediately and transparently too.