NAHCON hails Saudi Arabia for a hitch-free hajj

THE Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammed, has congratulated the Saudi Arabian government for a successful hajj season.

Coming on the heels of the Mina Hajj rites and pilgrims’ safe return to Makkah, Muhammad commended the authorities for what he described as “successfully hosting pilgrims from all over the world in 2019 Hajj season.”

The NAHCON Chairman praised the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for their professional handling of the activities which resulted in a hitch-free exercise.

He also extolled the establishment of Mutawwifs for Pilgrims from African Non-Arab Countries, popularly referred to as Mu’assasah, for the excellent arrangement in Mina and Arafat, that helped to enhance the comfort of Nigerian pilgrims in the tents, especially with the provision of air conditioning units at no extra cost to the pilgrims.

He noted, “Their well-organised service teams that were placed on standby to attend to the pilgrims throughout the period deserve appreciation.”

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Similarly, Muhammad had commendations for the General Car Syndicate and other transport companies that moved all pilgrims within stipulated time and brought them back without delay.

The NAHCON chairman, who had earlier, at a post-Arafat stakeholders’ meeting in Makkah, commended the entire NAHCON staff, together with the different states pilgrim welfare boards across Nigeria, also expressed profound “happiness at the conduct of Nigerian pilgrims and their officials, for their “decorum” and for ‘abiding by the rules and regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” adding that “this indeed made Nigeria proud.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman has extolled the NAHCON media team covering this year’s hajj.

At a brief meeting with the team at the NAHCON head-office in Saudi Arabia, Muhammad commended the good work, coverage and team spirit of journalists covering this year’s Hajj activities, stressing that it is the best team he has so far worked with.