Lagos fixes N2.6m as initial deposit for 2023 Hajj exercise

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has fixed N2,640,000 as an initial deposit for 2023 holy pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A statement signed by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, on Thursday, specifically directed all intending pilgrims that couldn’t perform the 2022 holy pilgrimage but left their money with the state government for the 2023 exercise, to endeavour to pay the sum of N1,340,000.00 in addition to the initial deposit of N1.3 million paid between 2019 and 2022.

The statement stressed further that those that had already completed the N2,640,000.00 charged for the last spiritual exercise but couldn’t perform the pilgrimage due to circumstances beyond their control are not affected by the statement.

According to the Commissioner, each intending pilgrim is expected to raise a ‘Bank Draft’ in favour of Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board’ from any of the commercial banks in the country and submit the same to the accounts department of the Board for further actions.

He stressed that no intending pilgrims should pay the money into any individual account, warning that whoever does so, is on his or her own.

While urging them to start paying the money as soon as possible, Elegushi stressed that if there were going to be any additional charges to the N2.640 million, the Board would inform them on time.

Recalled that some of the over 4,000 intending pilgrims that were supposed to perform the 2022 holy pilgrimage could not do so due to some factors, which include; inadequate slots allocated to the state by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), increment in the fare, age barrier, amongst others.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner had earlier given assurances that intending pilgrims who left their money with government between 2019 and 2022 for the forthcoming 2023 exercise would be given priority first when the spiritual exercise eventually commences.