Tour operators seek FG’S intervention in alleged Umrah visa racketeering

SOME licensed tour operators have sought the Federal Government’s intervention in the alleged racketeering of Umrah ( lesser hajj) visas in the country.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) yesterday in Abuja that the situation had made it difficult for some Nigerians willing to perform the religious obligation to get visas for the spiritual journey.

Chief Executive Officer of Mohdibra Travels, Mohammed Ibrahim, claimed that some selfish agents in Saudi Arabia had hijacked the Umrah visa to the detriment of approved licensed tour operators in Nigeria.

He urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON) to be more proactive in discharging its responsibilities.

His words: “We, tour operators, pay charges to the Nigerian government and Saudi Arabia, but we are not accessing the Umrah visa portal. We are here left with passengers and accruing losses that are running into billions.

“In the Umrah sector, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON) gave us tour operators licences to operate Umrah service, and we used this licence at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to seek visas for Nigerians going for Umrah.

“We paid 2,000 Saudi Riyals for the portal to be opened, but the agents in Saudi Arabia are telling us that the quota has not been approved, not knowing that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has sent us an email that it has approved it.

“The visa costs between 800 and 900 Saudi Riyals on the system; that is in the portal for hajj and Umrah, but it is being sold by different agents in Saudi Arabia between 1500 and 2000 Saudi Riyals, which is equivalent to N620,000.”

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that NAHCON recently confirmed a shortage of Umrah visas for Nigerian Muslims.