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.

The pilgrims were returning home after visiting the famed Hindu Kalinchowk Bhagwati temple when the bus veered off the highway about 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of the capital, Kathmandu, police official Prajwal Maharjan said.

Rescuers were able to pull out the injured passengers and take them to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Maharjan said police were investigating the cause of the crash but the roads were slippery because of winter rain. The visibility was also poor due to morning fog.

There was also a possibility of mechanical failure and it appeared the bus was not from the area and the driver might not be familiar with the road conditions.

Bus accidents in Nepal, which is mostly covered by mountains, are generally blamed on poorly maintained vehicles and roads.

Buhari also condoled with families, government, pilgrims and Hajj officials over the death of some pilgrims in this year’s exercise.

The chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Mr. Abdullahi Muhammad, represented the President at the occasion in Muna on Monday.

The President called on the pilgrims to intensify prayers for Nigeria to overcome all its socio-economic, political and security challenges.

In their address of welcome, the chairman, Kano State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Shaykh Abdullahi Pakistan; and the Secretary, Muhammad Danbatta, expressed satisfaction with NAHCON’s performance in this year’s hajj.

They particularly commended NAHCON for “meeting the yearnings and aspirations” of Kano State pilgrims in the areas of accommodation, transportation and other facilities to ease their hajj rites.

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.