By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has endorsed four banks to support and implement the Hajj Savings Scheme.

An official in the Information and Publications Division of NAHCON, Abdulbasit Abba, announced the development in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Abba stated, “A significant milestone for the Hajj Savings Scheme, three new Islamic banks—Taj Bank, Alternative Bank, and Lotus Bank—have officially joined the initiative to support Nigerian pilgrims.

“These banks will operate alongside Ja’iz Bank, bringing the total number of participating financial institutions to four

The official signing and acknowledgment of the appointment letters took place at Hajj House in Abuja, where representatives from the three new banks received their official letters from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

“The Commissioner for Policy, Personnel, Management, and Finance, Prince Abdullazak Aliu, presented the letters on behalf of the Chairman/CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Usman.

“This expansion marks a new era for the Hajj Savings Scheme, ensuring a more robust financial structure to facilitate pilgrimage arrangements for Nigerian Muslims.”

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Wednesday, received the report of the Committee on the Management/Disbursement of the Bodija Explosion Relief Fund, noting that the state government will look into the recommendations and implement them as appropriate.

Makinde, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, who also doubles as the chairman of the relief fund committee, Abdulraheem Lawal, said the event that led to the setting up of the committee was sad and avoidable.

The governor noted that the state government responded to the explosion by putting in place several measures, including emergency services and post-explosion support services.

He added that the state had to dig deep into the root cause of the explosion, admonishing residents of the state to continue to be security-conscious and alert. The governor assured that the committee’s report would be implemented to support victims of the explosion and bring some relief to them.

He said: “Immediately the explosion happened at Deji Oyelese Close, Bodija, the Oyo State Government moved in to mitigate the level of damage.

“It also became important for the state government to dig into the root cause of the explosion, which was an unusual incident, particularly in the area where it occurred.

“No one knew that such monumental damage could occur around that high-brow area of Oyo State in Bodija. Nevertheless, we keep learning every day. This is why we must not take for granted the issue of security around us.

“The government put this committee in place, of which I am the Chairman. Let me say clearly that my Principal agreed that I must receive this report and that the government will act on the report.

“So, on behalf of His Excellency, I want to assure you that this report will be looked into quickly and the recommendations therein will be implemented.

“We know that we do not have the luxury of further delay in implementation. We will put in all the efforts required for quick implementation so that victims of the explosion will be assuaged and assisted without further delay.

“I have to thank the committee members for giving their time. The Oyo State Government really appreciates you for the yeoman’s job.”

Speaking earlier, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), a member of the committee who stood in for the chairman to present the committee’s report, said the report was in four volumes.

He said: “I stand here on behalf of the chairman of this committee to present the report on the disbursement and management of the Bodija Explosion Relief Fund.

“It would be recalled that His Excellency inaugurated this committee on the 24th of December, 2024. And as the name implies, the committee came up with recommendations on the disbursement and management of the Bodija Explosion Relief Fund.

“Your Excellency, the committee, in its deliberations, factored its work on the report prepared by the trilateral meeting of the Dejo Oyelese Vigilance Group (DOVG), the Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), and other experts.

“The report that is being presented to Your Excellency this morning by the committee has four volumes. Volume 1, which is the main report, is divided into eight chapters, and these represent the deliberations and recommendations of the committee.

“Volume 2 of the report represents the trilateral meeting of the DOVG, BERA, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers on the framework for the distribution of government financial support pledged to the affected persons.

“Volume 3 is a reflection of the breakdown of money apportioned to support respective affected persons, while Volume 4 of the report is a detailed pictorial representation and description of damages recorded during the explosion.

“The committee would like to express its gratitude to Your Excellency for the opportunity and the confidence reposed in its members.

“I believe that this report would, aside from being beneficial to affected persons, also serve as a proper guide to the government in the disbursement of the support that has been pledged by His Excellency.”

Also speaking, the president of the Bodija Estate Residents Association, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, said the committee proposed support for different categories of victims, including those who lost loved ones, buildings, vehicles, and other valuables.

He added that the relief fund is a support and not compensation, noting, however, that if the committee’s recommendations are implemented, they will go a long way in assisting the victims.

He said: “We proposed support for different categories of people—for the families of those who lost their lives and those who lost buildings, vehicles, and the rest. So, it varies.

“We recommended different figures depending on what we perceived was the level of effect on each of these people.

“Our expectations are that, like His Excellency said, the implementation will be expedited. We have done due diligence, and what we are presenting will be ready to go.

“We appreciate the expediency that made the state government agree that the Deputy Governor himself should stand in for the governor.

“So, our expectation is that the implementation will be done with expediency.

“On the relief fund, if what we recommended is implemented, there is no doubt that it will help. And don’t forget that it is called support. So, you can’t complain. If it was compensation, you could claim what you lost, but this is a kind of support, and it is something that should be appreciated.

“I know that for those who will receive it, whatever they get will be well appreciated.

“We have shown appreciation to our governor for the treatment of those who were affected during the incident. Our roads are now being done. If we are going to have development, there will be complaints.

“We appreciate what the government has done so far.”

A seven-day ultimatum has been set by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and its outsourcing agency to revisit the decision to dismiss 3,000 workers.

This directive was announced by Mr. Festus Igbinosun, the Oyo State Comptroller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, after a meeting that involved the management of IBEDC, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the outsourcing firm, and representatives of the dismissed employees.

Igbinosun said resolving the issues within the time frame would strengthen the industrial harmony in the state.
According to the Oyo State NLC Chairman, NLC, Kayode Martins, the sacking of the workers did not follow due process.

Martins urged IBEDC and the outsourcing firm to reinstate the sacked workers during the renegotiation.

Responding, the representatives of IBEDC and the outsourcing firm agreed to renegotiate the sacking of the workers within the stipulated time.