Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) saturday disclosed that it had allocated 4,815 seats to Katsina State for the 2020 pilgrimage to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Also, the Katsina State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board said the state governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari had approved the collection of N300,000 as initial minimum deposit from intending pilgrims with effect from November, 2019 to March 2020 as directed by NAHCON.
The Executive Director of the board, Alhaji Dalhatu Usman made the disclosure yesterday at a news conference he addressed in Katsina.
At the conference, Usman said NAHCON had directed the state Muslim pilgrims welfare boards across the federation to commence the collection of 2020 hajj fare deposit with immediate effect.
He, therefore, urged intending pilgrims in the state to obtain certified bank draft of N300, 000 and visit the board’s zonal offices nearest to them to make deposit and conduct necessary registration.
Usman, however, warned the intending pilgrims that all payment must be made in certified bank draft payable to the Katsina state pilgrims welfare board.
He said: “I wish to advise that intending pilgrims can pay the whole fare at once that is N1, 500, 000. Our zonal offices are in Daura, Katsina, Funtua, Malumfashi, Kankia, Mani and Dutsin-Ma respectively.
“The intending pilgrims should note that the board does not register pilgrims by proxy and does not accept cash payment and anybody who does otherwise should blame him or herself,” the executive director said.
He added that the requirements for this year’s holy exercise includes Local Government indigene certificate, and e-passport, while female intending pilgrims must have a muharram who would sign a consent form duly sworn at a court of law.
He explained that all intending pilgrims should have a guarantor who “will stand as surety against absconding from returning home (Nigeria) and must be respected and recognised person in the community.
“I wish to advise all those willing to stand as guarantors to pilgrims to ensure that the person he is guaranteeing is well known to him and is not of questionable character as serious punishment awaits the guarantors of absconders.”
