…Secures 12,277 visa for tour operators
From Usman Gwadabe, Makkah
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has airlifted 46,611 pilgrims to Madinah for this year’s Hajj.
A statement made available to National Hajj Media Team by NAHCON Command and Control Centre Abuja today disclosed that the departure were via 110 flights.
It could be recalled that the commission commenced the operation on May 15 and expected to complete by June 10.
Meanwhile, NAHCON has assisted Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators in Nigeria (AHUON) who are the licenced tour operators to process 12,277 Hajj visas for intending pilgrims.
This was disclosed by the commission’s Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara in a statement made available to National Hajj Media Team yesterday.
The statement reads: “Despite the fact that the Tour Operators’ association (Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators in Nigeria, AHUON) solicited for extension of the registration portal to May 31 2024, yet, NAHCON approved up to 3rd June out of compassion.
“Still, some of the members continued to plead for further extension of registration to the extent that certain payments were made as late as yesterday June 5, 2024.
“Without NAHCON’s intervention, please note that Saudi Arabian authorities would not have accommodated further visa processing for any category of Nigerian pilgrim up to this period.
“However, NAHCON did not turn away the tour operators’ appeals for additional payments knowing that they need to serve their clients to remain in business.
“Currently, out of 13,562 visa requests by the private Hajj operators, the Commission was able to intervene with the production of 12,277 visas for such operator companies that remitted their funds early and at the right foreign exchange rate.
“The remaining unprocessed visas correlate with those operators that paid their monies late. Hence, NAHCON accepted to accommodate late transfers with a caveat, that only deposits made by 5th of June will be honored.
“Additionally, that after the payments, they are advised to stay action until the Central Bank of Nigeria approves the Naira to Dollar value rate upon which the private travel companies paid their additional deposits.
“Thirdly, that if the funds value is commensurate with the CBN exchange rate, they must remain hopeful for the Central Bank to successfully transfer their funds into the IBAN account before closure of Hajj registration portal by the Saudi Arabian authority,” the statement concluded.
