The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has warned that late registration of pilgrims may sabotage the 2025 hajj operation.
The CSO says the warning is crucial because some state pilgrims agencies are yet to start pilgrims registration despite the tight deadline by Saudi Arabia.
This was revealed by the coordinator of the CSO, Ibrahim Muhammad, in a statement at the weekend.
“As at the time of penning this press statement, Niger, Sokoto and Borno States are yet to kick start the registration exercise despite having received the directive from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in August for states to begin registration,” he said.“We are aware that some Executive Secretaries of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards are yet to submit the 2024 Hajj reports to their governors and as a result of which they are yet to get approval to start pilgrims’ registration from their chief executives,’‘he said.
The CSO also expressed concern that some states are yet to start registration even when they are expected to remit the first tranche of pilgrims’ deposits to NAHCON, starting from October 2, for onward transfer to the Saudi-based service providers to pay for tent spaces in Mina.
The statement said, “That the State’s Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards will need a separate approval from State Governors to start pilgrims’ registration even after being given permission by the apex hajj regulatory body is a peculiar federating procedural headache for Hajj Industry that requires immediate review.”
IHR said “It is necessary to note that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj, had on October 23, began allocating tent spaces to Hajj participating countries that had made payments.
It further reminded the state governors that the delay in starting pilgrims’ registration by States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards is the underlying cause of poor services being experienced by Nigerian pilgrims yearly in Saudi Arabia.
