The Lagos State Government promised to make the full refund process seamless and quickly available for those intending pilgrims who wish to seek a refund.

Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofi Elegushi announced on Tuesday while addressing journalists during a press conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa in Ikeja.

Elegushi said Lagos State Government will publish the names of affected intending pilgrims in a National Newspaper as the first batch for the Year 2023 Hajj operations, adding that government will also put on hold sales of forms for the year 2023 Hajj pending confirmation of the actual number of slots to be given while giving the published names first offer of refusal.

He said that even though 1,562 slots were allocated to Lagos State by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for this year’s Hajj operations, a total number of 1,598 pilgrims, including those from approved private organizations in Lagos were airlifted by the State Government.

The Commissioner assured all the intending pilgrims of the state government’s support at all times and prayed for the safe return of the pilgrims already airlifted.

He said: “You will recall that the COVID-19 pandemic did not allow any airlifting of pilgrims since 2020, this gave rise to an increase in the backlog of intending pilgrims since then. However, when the Saudi Arabia authorities gave the go-ahead for pilgrims to be airlifted this year 2022, we had over 4000 intending pilgrims that have registered with the State.

“A total number of 1562 slots were allocated to Lagos State by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and these were used up immediately by the State contingent. A further 250 slots were given by NAHCON based on the expectation of additional 5,000 slots promised by the Saudi Authorities, unfortunately, the Saudi Authorities declined the 5,000 slots while we had gone ahead to allocate the 250 slots awaiting final processing and Visa from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“It is however regrettable to note that the 5,000 slots promised were declined by the Saudi Authorities thereby placing us in this precarious situation in which we find ourselves in Lagos State. We are aware that this matter affects every nation of the world that has intending pilgrims but the reactions and the need to make things clear have necessitated this address.”

It would be recalled that since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had hindered the airlifting of pilgrims, leading to the backlog of about 4,000 intending pilgrims from Lagos State since then.

He stated this at a press conference designed for the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to formally react to the cancellation of 2021 Hajj exercise for foreign pilgrims by Saudi Arabian Government due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, in Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

According to him, the decision not to sell forms for 2022 was because the state already has 3,016 intending Pilgrims that have formally registered and fully paid their deposit for the already cancelled 2020/2021 hajj exercises.

He added that unless the Saudi Arabian autourity and National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) gives the State additional slots, it might not be feasible selling forms for new intending Pilgrims outside those already registered.

Elegushi further stated that only 69 intending Pilgrims or approximately 2.24 per cent of a total of 3,085 intending Pilgrims for the 2020/2021 sets have written to request for refund of their N1,300,000.00 deposit while the remaining 3,016 or approximately 97.76 per cent have willingly decided to leave their deposit in the custody of the State Government for the 2022 exercise.

He affirmed that the request for refund by the 69 affected persons have been processed and forwarded to the Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, saying immediately the Governor gives his approval, the affected persons would be refunded.

Kana disclosed this in Muna on Monday while briefing journalists on the activities of the medical team of NAHCON for the pilgrims.

Kana said, “The deceased, a Lagos State pilgrim, collapsed at Jamrat and was brought to the hospital in Muna but died, she was hypertensive.”

Speaking with a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria in Muna on the issue earlier, the Lagos State Amir Hajj, Alhaji AbdulLateef Abdulkarim, had identified the deceased as Alhaja Folashade Lawal.

He said that the late Lawal hailed from Oshodi Local Government Area of the state, noting that she slumped at 3am while heading to Jamrat to throw stones at the devil.

Throwing stones at the ‘three devils’ is one of the Islamic rites towards acceptable hajj.

The chairman of the team said that the commission opened 21 field offices in Muna with adequate drugs and ambulances.

He identified cough and hypertension as some of the health challenges presented by patients.

NAN correspondent, who visited the Nigerian camp in Muna reported that many pilgrims, mostly women, were seen buying women wears and other gift items they claimed were meant for their families and friends at home.

Others, however, devoted their time to accomplishing the remaining rites such as throwing stones at ‘the three devils and special prayer.

Pilgrims, who will spend three days to accomplish religious rites in Muna were expected to move to the Grand Mosque, Makkah on Tuesday to complete the remaining rites to ensure an acceptable hajj.

According to NAHCON, it had fixed August 17 for the kick-off of the airlift of pilgrims back to Nigeria.