Sultan wants return of Amirul Hajj

The Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called for the return of Amirul Hajj, to better the lot of Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, during the annual exercise.

He made the call yesterday in Abuja, at the opening of a two day National Hajj and Umrah Stakeholder’s Conference and 10th anniversary, themed “Hajj Management in Nigeria: Honouring the past, treasuring the present and shaping the future” organised by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). President Muhammadu Buhari tacitly canceled the Amir Hajj, after he announced that there will be no federal government delegation for the 2015 pilgrimage.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement said the decision would save government an estimated $1million and N30 million in local expenses.

The government however said it would sustain consular, medical and welfare support to all pilgrims as expected and would also not fail in its obligations to the citizens in terms pilgrimage regardless of the absence of government delegation.

But the Sultan, while opening the stakeholders’ conference at the Abuja National Mosque said the role of the Amirul hajj is important for the thousands of Nigerian Muslims performing the pilgrimage. The chairman of the commission, Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, said NAHCON is to establish a standard training institute for the training of Hajj managers and handlers.