2,550 pilgrims may miss Hajj, operators cry out 42 pilgrims arrive Saudi without visas

The Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) yesterday insisted that over 2,500 intending pilgrims belonging to 51 tour operators may miss the 2022 Hajj following delay in crediting their members’ accounts in Saudi Arabia.

They had initially made deposits to NAHCON’s TSA account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for onward transfer to the service providers in Saudi Arabia.

The money covers Hajj components including accommodation, feeding, local transportation as well as Visa processing fees.

Daily Trust reports that without the accounts of the operators credited, there is no way they can go ahead with the arrangement with service providers in Saudi Arabia.

About 42 pilgrims belonging to a Kano based tour operator, Golden Ticket, had to travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on Saudia Airlines without their visas confirmed.

However, on getting to Saudi Arabia, they were stranded for 24 hours at the Prince Mohammed Bn Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah before the intervention of NAHCON.

Manager of the tour operator company, Malam Kabiru Sanni Babanyaya, said the company devised a means to get their pilgrims to Saudi because it would have lost about N50m if they had missed the June 28 flight with Saudia Airline.

He said, “We are calling on the federal government to come to our rescue. Only 42 were affected and their visas have been issued while the remaining eight would travel tomorrow (today).”

The National Publicity Secretary of AHUON, Alhaji Nasir Chamo, in a chat with our correspondent, confirmed that 51 tour operators with 50 pilgrims each had yet to have their accounts credited in Saudi Arabia.