1, 260 pilgrims for 2015 hajj in Plateau, govt sponsors 320

ABOUT 1, 262 intending pilgrims will perform this year’s pilgrimage to Makkah from Plateau State on government sponsorship.

Chairman of Hajj Committee 2015, Abdullahi Danlami Mohammed disclosed this to journalists during a briefing on the preparation of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.

Mohammed further said that by August 29, the first batch of the pilgrims would be airlifted to the holy land totalling up to 300 based on the proposal made by the board.

According to the Hajj Committee boss, the board has almost concluded arrangements with the pilgrims to take off as scheduled, everything being equal. “What we are waiting for is just the date for visa. By God’s grace, in the next few days, we are going for visa.”

On sponsorship of pilgrims this year to perform the pilgrimage, Mohammed said that the board considers it lucky “because Barrister Simon Bako Lalong is one of those governors who has decided to sponsor quite a number of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Other states could not do so and we are grateful to Allah and we are grateful to him. We thank him most sincerely because he has supported the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and sent some officials to also see to the smooth running of the Hajj this year and has also sponsored a good number to go and perform Hajj functions.”

On the number of pilgrims sponsored by the state government, the chairman said that it is over 320.

About possible dropping of some pilgrims during verification exercise for one reason or another, Mohammed said there is no such thing, explaining “this year anybody who pays, so long as his money hits our accounts, is going. These are the verifications we did. And in the process of course if anybody has not paid to the account of the Board, and we have no reason to believe that he has given to the Board for whatever official reason, we regard him as somebody who has not paid kobo to the Board. Therefore, those who paid and those who are sponsored by government, whether state or local, by God’s grace, are going.”