THE CHAIRMAN /CEO
NATIONAL HAJJ COMMISSION OF NIGERIA((NAHCON)
1 FIRST AVENUE, OFF AHMADU BELLO WAY PMB 257, ABUJA
A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE
Due to your public notice dated 9/11/2015 and published in People’s Daily ,Here is an enclosed photocopies to back up my contribution, I am Rabiu Dogara Omaku with an International passport number A06448055, I was sponsored by the Government of Nasarawa state to perform 2015 Hajj exercise amongst other 1,682 pilgrims, I extend my profound gratitude to God Almighty for according me this great opportunity to fulfilled this spiritual obligation in my life time, Though Some of the challenges we faced in this year’s Hajj exercise includes the following.
Non- remittance of $20 (N4000) to each pilgrim
Is no longer news that every pilgrims that were conveyed from Medinah airport to our hotel room in Medinah did not get the remittance of $20 ? If really the $20 remitted was for transport? Majority of us were convey in a bus from Medinah to Makkah ,Makkah to Mina, Mina to Arafat and from Arafat to Muzdalifah where we trekked to Jamrat (stone pillar of devil) back to Mina, And after the last stoning ritual at Jamrat vast of the pilgrims trekked through the pedestrian tunnel to Makkah, And our last journey was movement from Makkah to King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Jeddah where our seized passport were refunded back to us, It was unfortunate that an Arab told us that our $20 is with our Muassassah at Makkah, The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) should take frantic steps by ensuring that those monies were refunded to pilgrims not only from Nasarawa state but cut across the 36 states including Abuja.
Unnecessary Change Of Flight To Favour Friends And Families
This a major huddle that seriously affected 2015 Hajj operation in Nasarawa state, Reasons been that the executive secretary of the Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board ,Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba changed the flights of pilgrims at will while at the Holyland just to favor movers and shakers as well family and friends.
Majority of those that returned in first flight are either in third, fourth and fifth flight but were swap to first flight without cogent reasons for that, The action of Nalaraba seriously affected pilgrims especially women who exhausted their money due to overstay in the Holyland, I write to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to take frantic steps in addressing the aforementioned complaints so as to avoid the replicate of it for the 2015 Hajj experienced which was mar by protest among Nasarawa state pilgrims.
Majority Of Nasarawa State Pilgrims Lacks Identification Cards
Just few pilgrims from Nasarawa state were given their I.D Card following the aftermath of the grand mosque mishaps that lead to mass death, Absence of identification card restricted the movement of pilgrims at the Holyland, Lack of identification card by pilgrims also constitute serious setback in identifying pilgrims from Nasarawa state during the massive death at Jamrat, The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) should be on her feet by working above board by conducting supervision of all states pilgrims board so as to avoid what happened in 2015 exercise, If the commission tackle this headlong sky would be the starting point of all pilgrims in Nasarawa state in the subsequent Hajj exercise.
Lack Of Organization Between State Officials And The Amirul Hajj Team
The wider communication gap also constitutes major challenges that affect 2015 Hajj exercise in Nasarawa state. NAHCON should advice the state government to appointment of clerics as Amirul Hajj team before embarking on such a Godly voyage instead of appointing politicians who lack the experience of Hajj operation ,It was a bitter experience in the sense that we were abandoned at Jedda without any presence of official from Nasarawa state at NAHCON ,We boarded third flight to Makkah but later the six of us from the media team were short- changed and our names were erased with biro and we were taken to fourth flight, As of the time all the Amirul Hajj team members left to Nigeria while the Executive Secretary of the NSMPWB was nowhere to be found as pilgrims and few state officials are struggling to have access to the last flight which would convey the remaining pilgrims from the state. To crown it all the officials of Nasarawa state presented a list of 141 as the names of last flight as against the available 145 in the list of NAHCON excluding the list of Six (6) journalists in the media team, To our greatest surprise the pilgrims from Abuja are 350 as the plane is for FCT pilgrims while we from Nasarawa state are attachment including other twenty (20) NAHCON officials, Despite the advice by NAHCON official, Dele for state official to join the last line but they all flouted the advice and the burden bestow on them was shifted to two Journalists, Nura Ado Abdullahi of Precious Fm, Lafia and Rabiu Omaku of Desert Herald Newspaper and Magazine sacrifice to ensure that no pilgrim from Nasarawa state was left behind by paying the ultimate price of sleeping at Jedda Airport as the remaining pilgrims left, We left to Nigeria through Minna Airport instead of departing at Nnnamdi Azikiwi International Airport Abuja, The action of Nasarawa state officials signifies lack of willpower and zeal to lead the people.
4.Poor Arrangement Of Flight By NAHCON, Said Members Of Amirul Hajj Team
It was a bitter experience been a pilgrim in 2015 ,Apart from the twin tragedy we passed through our journey back to Nigeria was the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, My colleague and I were in Nasarawa state third flight to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but were later enlisted to fourth flight without a cogent reason for that by the executive secretary ,Hassan Nalaraba ,In the last flight 145 pilgrims were in the list as against the 141 as rightly said by Nalaraba but to our greatest surprise 145 pilgrims excluding 6 media team members bringing the number to 151 pilgrims from Nasarawa state including 350 pilgrims ,plus 20 officials of NAHCON convey by Flynas.
Delegation of Amirul Hajj team from Nasarawa state apportioned blame on NAHCON over the delay in scheduled flight to and from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
All negative tendency were apportioned to the National Hajj Commission, This situation needed an ardent attention.
5.It was alleged that the chairman of National Hajj commission has awarded contract for the supply of food of twenty one (21) states to a Niger Republic food supplier ,It was learnt that the Nigerien Republic food supplier empower people from his country while Nigeria nationals were wallowing in poverty ,stagnation, hunger, squalor, agony in the Holyland.
Crisis Between 24 Katsina Pilgrims and E.S Nasarawa state
All effort by Katsina pilgrims to persuade the Executive Secretary NSMPWB to change the flight of one of them (student) who was having problem at school spur crisis which lead to the intervention of Dahiru Mangal, An airline operator, NAHCON should intervene in such gory situation to avoid a replication of this magnitude as the comment of Nalarabe foist Mangal to withdraw the travelling documents of Katsina pilgrims whom were compelled to joined Katsina pilgrims .
Suggestion For hitch-free pilgrim include
All states pilgrims’ board should submit a statistics of all intending pilgrims on or before one month to embark on pilgrimage. The NAHCON should ensure that the supervision of states pilgrim board is part of their routine work ,by going round .
The diversion of Nasarawa flight by the chairman NAHCON to favour Kaduna state Pilgrims been his state has serious effect on Nasarawa pilgrims who are either first to arrive Makkah as well to depart to Nigeria but this year’s airlifting is a different ball game as Kaduna pilgrims are the most favored, Holistic approach is needed.
NAHCON medical team should work in tandem with state pilgrims board ,The situation in Nasarawa state was uncalled for because a member of Jama’atul Nasril Islam, Aliyu Abubakar died in a hotel room with less or no medical care, In spite of the alarmed I raised by informing the executive secretary the situation was handle with glove- in hand.
There is the need for Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to procure new brand ambulance following the embargo by Saudi Kingdom on the present ambulance which they rated as outdated and cannot be allow to plight the city centre, The ambulance was just restricted to certain routes, The Hajj commission should wade into this so as to safe the situation.
Both states and Federal government should reduce the slot of Hajj seat accorded to highly placed individual especially the affluent in the society.
NAHCON should ensure that thorough medical test was conducted and only physically fit embark on the spiritual voyage to avoid death of Pilgrims as it happens this year
In spite of the media hype by the executive secretary of NSMPWB over the exemption of pregnant women, I saw an expectant mother with about 7-8 months pregnancy, This potray the state in a bad light as the expectant mother held from Lafia Local Government with the uniform of Nasarawa pilgrim at the premises of our hotel room at Makkah.
Some challenges was the poor sanitary condition of accommodations especially in Makkah, There is the need for NAHCON to wake up from her slumber by working hand in hand with state pilgrim boards for optimum result.
NAHCON should establish intensive screening centres at zonal camps to check pregnancy and other contagious diseases before embarking on the spiritual journey.
The commission should make it mandatory for all intending pilgrims to attend lectures on Hajj.
The commission should disregard late sponsorship of Hajj by state and federal
NAHCON should make provision of plane for its officials, By doing this will addressed the stress faced by Nasarawa pilgrims whom were abandoned too pleased it officials.
Why was it that some states were given N200,000 ($1000) and ours is $750 (N150,000) ,was the fare not uniform ? And why the disparity in the disbursement of DTA/BTA to pilgrims.
Attached are the boarding pass of Top Brass Aviation, picture of Jet Asia landing at Minna Airport, The plane that brought two members of Nasarawa media team,Nura Ado Abdullahi of Precious Fm and Rabiu Omaku of Desert Herald Newspaper and Magazine.
While the attached list was the final list of Nasarawa pilgrims, In the list was a repeated names of top government functionaries that boarded either first, second or third flight and their names reflected in the final list.
Also is the voice/tape of pilgrims protesting the delay and unnecessary change of flight ,The pilgrims are accusing the state officials of incapacitation and absence of commitment as some has vow not to go to the holy land through Nasarawa state even if they were given free Hajj seat come 2016.
Rabiu Dogara Omaku
N0 2,Allahnana street Dadinkowa
Doma Local Govt , Nasarawa state
09050427441
08065507698
08090887408
