The Companion, an association of Muslim men in business and the professions, has attributed the on-going refund to Nigerian pilgrims who went for the 2023 Hajj in Saudi Arabia to the spirited efforts of the erstwhile Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the group’s National Amir, Engr. Kamil Olalekan and Publicity Secretary, Muideen Adeleke, on Monday.
Following the development, the organization urged Nigerian pilgrims who went for the 2023 Hajj to expect more refunds for services that were not rendered during the pilgrimage.
“The then NAHCON boss Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan was credited with the far-reaching reforms undertaken under his watch to change the narrative in hajj administration in Nigeria”, said the statement.
The Companion recalled the painstaking efforts of the astute Hajj administrator at ensuring effective service delivery by Mutawwif, especially during the period of the main hajj rites in Mina and at Mount Arafat.
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The statement commended the noticeable improved services enjoyed by the Nigerian pilgrims during the tenure of office of Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, who hit the ground running despite the fact that his appointment coincided with the outbreak of COVID-19, when Saudi Arabia restricted Hajj to only few pilgrims within the Kingdom.
“It’s on record that Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan ‘s tenure as NAHCON Chairman was dogged by the outbreak of the global pandemic in 2019 which shut the doors against intending hajj pilgrims from countries outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including Nigeria,” the statement lamented.
The foremost Muslim organization lauded the pivotal role played by Alhaji Hassan during his tenure which catapulted him to the position of the leader and mouthpiece of African Non-Arab nations on hajj affairs.
“It was quite heartening and exhilarating seeing an innovative Nigerian with shrewd experience, take the centre stage and thus become the role model in hajj administration globally,” the statement contended.
The Companion stressed that the groundwork for the refund of Hajj fees for the poorly rendered services during the 2023 pilgrimage was laid by Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan in 2022, adding that he deserves proper recognition forthwith and a national award for his patriotic service to the nation.
Recall that the NAHCON had last week announced the refund of N5bn to the pilgrims which it said each of the 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims were entitled to 150 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to N61,080, for services not rendered to them.
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