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Lagos begins refund of excess payment to pilgrims

By Shakirah Adunola
20 September 2019   |   3:03 am
The Lagos State Government has commenced payment of N100,000.00 to all the pilgrims that performed this year’s Holy pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It would be recalled that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in July, mandated all the States to review downward their hajj fare and refund the excesses to all…

[FILES] Lagos State airlifted 432 pilgrims with Flynas airline number XY5441 from Lagos to Madinah at 13:11hours

The Lagos State Government has commenced payment of N100,000.00 to all the pilgrims that performed this year’s Holy pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It would be recalled that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in July, mandated all the States to review downward their hajj fare and refund the excesses to all pilgrims accordingly.

Thus, the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has began implementing the directive by transferring the sum of N100,000.00 into the account number of the pilgrims through their respective banks.

Speaking on the refund, the Board Secretary, Mr. Rahman Ishola, said that Lagos State being the Centre of Excellence, complied with the federal government’s directive in order to show good example to others.

He stated that the accounts department of the board has started the disbursement through the bank account of all the pilgrims and confirmed that he has been receiving appreciable feedback from those who have received alert from their banks so far.

Noting that the procedures for doing mass transfer takes time because of the number of pilgrims and banks involved, he assured those who are yet to receive alert to exercise patience, saying the board is doing everything humanly possible to ensure that they get the money in good time.

Meanwhile, representatives of the State has paid a condolence visit to the Mafoluku-Oshodi and Lekki family houses of the two pilgrims who lost their lives while performing the Y2019 Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It would be recalled that two of the State’s pilgrims, Alhaja Mulikat Shade Lawal and Alhaji Muhammad Siraj Kayode Mars Molake lost their lives in Saudi Arabia while performing this year’s hajj exercise.

While commiserating with the families on behalf of the Hon. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, the Chairman 2019 Hajj Ad-hoc committee, Alh. Ahmed Jebe-Abdullahi who led the Special delegation, urged them to accept the death of their beloved ones as act of God.

He stressed that doctors in the Lagos State medical team and their counterparts in Saudi Arabia tried their best to safe the lives of the pilgrims but could not because Allah has ordained that their time on earth was up.

Alh. Jebe prayed that Allah grants the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss and forgive the dead of their sins.

While presenting a condolence letter to each of the families, Alh. Jebe promised that the death certificates and International Passports of the deceased would be presented later when they are collected from officials of NAHCON on their final return from Saudi Arabia after the completion of airlifting of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.

In a short lecture, the Chairman Dawah sub-committee, Imam AbdulHakeem Lawal said that death is an inevitable end that will come to everyone when the time comes.

He admonished the families to take solace in the quranic quotation, “From Allah we came and to Him is our return “. He also urged Muslims to endeavour to do good to one another because no one knows where and when death will come.

Quoting the Holy Quran, Imam Lawal assured the families that their beloved ones will be accepted into Aljanat because of Allah’s promises that whoever performs hajj and died in the process would be rewarded with Aljanat Fridaos.

The luggage and other personal belongings of the deceased were formally presented to their families.

Representatives of both families expressed their gratitude to the State Government and the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for their steadfastness and for sympathising with them over the irreparable loss.

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