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2023 Hajj: NAHCON to refund N64, 679 to 95,000 pilgrims

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By Mario Deepromoter

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that it would refund SR150 (N64,679) each to 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the 2023 Hajj exercise.

NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Anofi Olanrewaju-Elegushi, revealed this in a statement by the Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Fatima Usara, on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Olanrewaju-Elegushi explained that the refund is for services not rendered by the Saudi Hajj Ministry at Masha’ir during the last Hajj.

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“All 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims that travelled for Hajj in 2023 from both states and private operators are to receive SR150 each (one hundred and fifty Saudi Riyals) as refund,” he said.

He disclosed that NAHCON has already started working towards making the payments

Mr Olanrewaju-Elegushi also provided some updates on issues concerning refunds requested by Private Tour Operators, (PTOs).

He said one of the decision reached during the tour was that instead of 20 lead companies earlier slated to spearhead the conduct of 2025 Hajj from the private sector, the number has been reduced to 10 by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU).

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He added that “the ministry has stipulated that each company must register minimum of 2,000 pilgrims to be considered for Hajj visa approval.”

Refund claims
Mr Olanrewaju-Elegushi further clarified that contrary to claims that NAHCON owes PTOs N17 billion from the 2024 Hajj caution deposit of N25m, it received only N2 billion, 750million from 110 companies that registered for the 2024 Hajj.

“The amount included a roll-over of N1billion, 250m from the previous year. From the amount, 30 companies requested for refunds amounting to N750m which has been paid. The balance still in the custody of the Commission accruing to undecided PTOs is N750m,” he said.

On the 2022 refund, Mr Olanrewaju-Elegushi said the Commission is still awaiting details.

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He, however, revealed that details have emerged only for PTOs that camped on Field Office 18 in 2022.

:They are to collectively receive SR62, 602 (sixty-two thousand six hundred and two thousand Saudi Riyals) as refund for poor feeding in the Masha’ir” the statement said.

Bank Guarantee
Mr Olanrewaju-Elegushi also informed the PTO members that NAHCON’s EXCO has approved the option of honouring Bank Guarantee as payment of N40 million Caution Deposit for the 2025 Hajj.

” In view of the above, any operator who wishes to make the payment through Bank Guarantee but has already made a cash deposit is invited to request for collection of the earlier deposit in order to present the Bank Guarantee.

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“The registration deadline was extended to 11:59 p.m. Friday 11th October to accommodate registration through the Bank Guarantee or cash deposit. We advised that due to time and procedural constraints, members wishing to take the Bank Guarantee option can raise a Bank Draft of the Caution Deposit amount and retrieve it after the Bank Guarantee is ready.

“The retrieval can be done even after deadline of registration

The commissioner expressed concern over time limitation.

Exchange rate for 2025
Mr Olanrewaju-Elegushi also confirmed that there will be no concessionary exchange rate from government for the 2025 Hajj exercise.

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” It was confirmed that for the 2025 Hajj, there will be no concessionary exchange rate from the government for Hajj fare payment for pilgrims whether under state or private Hajj operators.

“As part of efforts to curtail hitches for the 2025 Hajj and current Umrah operations, relevant officers of the commission under the Acting Chairman, along with selected members of the PTOs, will visit Saudi Arabia to seek a headway in contentious issues such as trapped IBAN deposits, unexplained refunds and limited number of Umrah visa,” the commissioner added.

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Tinubu fires DG names replacement (photos)

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

President Bola Tinubu has fired Nura Sani Kangiwa as Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).

Recall that Sani Kangiwa was appointed NIHOTOUR DG in September 2020 by former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

Though no official reason was provided for the dismissal, it is possible that his tenure had come to an end.

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However, in his place, President Tinubu on Thursday last week appointed Abisoye Fagade as the new Director-General of NIHOTOUR.

Dr. Abisoye Fagade is a marketing communication professional.

He is the founder and managing director of Sodium Brand Solutions.

President Tinubu urged the newly appointed officer to discharge his duties with dedication, patriotism, and excellence.

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Banditry! Police Officer feared K!lled As Gunmen Attack Lawmaker’s Convoy in Abia State

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A policeman attached to the member representing Isialangwa North and South Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe has been feared dead.

The incident happened around 9pm at Ubakala Umuahia South.

According to a police source, gunmen dressed in black and wearing police-style armor jackets had blocked the convoy of the House of Representatives member with a Toyota Corolla.

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The lawmaker was not in the vehicle when the incident happened but at least two police officers and a driver were in the vehicle.

The gunmen opened fire on the escorts after they identified themselves as police officers.

In the process, a police officer was killed, while another officer was injured. The attackers fled the scene, and the police station at Ubakala responded with gunfire.

Attempts to contact the Abia State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) was unsuccessful. Police sources said officers of the command are on the trail of the suspects it believes are kidnappers.

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Kwankwaso cries out, says there are plots to colonise north

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has alleged plans from Lagos to colonise the northern region.

Kwankwaso, who made the allegation while delivering a speech during the convocation ceremony of Skyline University, Kano, also claimed that Lagos has been on the way to the issue of emirates tussle in Kano State.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, also lamented the avalanche of challenges bedeviling the North, including economic crisis, insecurity, poverty, hunger and different kinds of diseases, saying the situation is not good for the country.

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Kwankwaso said, “Let me note our situation here in Kano and indeed northern Nigeria. The emir is just being a stooge at this very difficult time, especially in this part of the country (northern Nigeria).

“Today, we can see very clearly that there is a lot of efforts from the Lagos axis to colonize this part of the country. Today, Lagos wouldn’t allow us to choose an emir, Lagos has to come to the centre of Kano to put their own emir.”

Kwankwaso also spoke on tax collection, saying, “Today, we are aware that the Lagos young men are working so hard to impose taxes and take away our taxes from Kano and this part of the country to Lagos.

“Today, as we have seen, even the telephones that we make or register here in Kano, efforts are there to take all the taxes to Lagos.

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“Even our sons and daughters who have brought factories many of them here in Kano and northern Nigeria and even banks, somehow, they are forced to take their headquarters to Lagos because taxes will now have to go to Lagos.”

The former Kano governor also spoke on the disparity between the rich and the poor saying, “We have seen the efforts of some people to make the poor poorer and the rich richer and I believe this is more dangerous.”

Kwankwaso therefore called on the lawmakers from the northern part of the country to wake up and make sure the region is not cheated in any way.

“At this moment, I would like to call all our National Assembly members to keep their eyes open so that they don’t do anything that would cheat the people of northern Nigeria, especially here, Kano.

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“We are witnesses to what happened during the first term, 1999 to 2000, where our members of the National Assembly were bribed, were treated into collecting huge sums of money to support offshore in this country. That law put a huge blow into our economy not only here in northern Nigeria but all other states.”

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