The authorities of the Edo State Pilgrim Welfare Board said no fewer than 123 intending pilgrims have made a full payment of N4,899 million for the 2024 hajj.
OsunDailyNG reports that the state chairman of the board, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua, disclosed this during a meeting with intending pilgrims and other Hajj stakeholders in the state.
“As of Wednesday, when we reconciled our books after the fare announcement, out of the 250 intending pilgrims, 123 had made full payment,” Oyarekhuan said.
Oyarekhua explained that the meeting with intending pilgrims and resource persons was to formally announce the final Hajj fare for intending pilgrims in the state, which has now been increased to N4,899 million as against the initial amount of N4.5 million announced by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.
He added that the meeting was also to inform intending pilgrims that the deadline for payment of the hajj fare is February 12 while all remittances to the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj Operations will be on or before February 26.
“So anybody who is desirous of performing Hajj this year must pay his or her remaining balance on or before February 12.
“Going by the rate people are coming forward to make payment, we are optimistic that the state will exhaust the 412 slots given to it by NAHCON, as more intending pilgrims have been waiting for the announcement of the final fare to be able to make theirs,” he added.
Oyarekhuan, who called on stakeholders to pass the message to those that were not at the meeting, however, charged the intending pilgrims to work with the board for a seamless exercise by paying the full amount and furnishing them with necessary documents for the Hajj.
