The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has faulted a post on social media purportedly on the kind of breakfast being served Nigerian pilgrims after paying N8 million as Hajj fare.
NAHCON’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara, made the reaction in a press statement on Tuesday.
Usara declared that the offensive post by Babagana Digima on his Facebook page was fake news.
She said further: “After addressing the shared story from its root, we believe ethical journalism would not permit a sensible practitioner to lift a story solely from a Facebook source. What is more unfortunate is that the Facebook reporter is here in Nigeria, not in Saudi Arabia.
“Upon citing the story early this (Tuesday) morning, NAHCON immediately drew the attention of the originator of the story privately and publicly to the inaccuracy of his claims to allow him to correct the wrong impression assuming he posted it innocently, unfortunately, he did not.
“Still several testimonies were posted on his page by pilgrims on ground in Makkah disclaiming the allegation with pictorial evidences, while NAHCON staff on the platform also provided a clear description of the actual meal that was served, proving that the picture was doctored and that it was a fake news conclusively.”
Usara stated that unfortunately, Sahara Reporters ignored the responses and the free facts supplied on the page in preference for the sensational side, adding that the medium simply amplified a lie it picked on Facebook with the doctored picture of the breakfast served to pilgrims of the Federal Capital Territory in their hotel in Makkah, Nama Al- Asriya Hotel, and spread it as news.
Following this, NAHCON urged the public to ignore the fake news being circulated pertaining to the FCT pilgrims’ breakfast, insisting that the story was not only false, but also appeared to be malicious.
On issuance of Basic Travel Allowance to pilgrims, NAHCON maintained that each pilgrim will eventually receive their due amount.
Usara disclosed that as at April 24, 2024 when NAHCON paid BTA differential for the pilgrims, the Dollar exchange rate was N1,252 to a Dollar, thereby N626,000 was paid to be exchanged at a value of $500.
This, she pointed out, was the figure Hajj stakeholders agreed upon and which NAHCON declared and still stands by.
She indicated that information reaching the Commission currently shows that the banks are issuing BTA at the current market rate of Naira to the Dollar, causing a shortfall to the original value pilgrims are supposed to be paid at the exchange rate obtainable on April 24.
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NAHCON has however urged pilgrims to remain calm as it would not allow their interest to be jeopardised in any way, adding that it has already taken up the matter and hoped it would be resolved soon.