Hajj Commission secures N107m refund from Saudi Arabia over poor feeding of 2022 pilgrims

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has secured the sum of SR542, 033 equivalent to N107, 864,567 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, being the refund for the poor feeding services rendered by the Company of Mutawwifs for pilgrims from African non-Arab-countries, including Nigeria.

NAHCON said that this was achieved after several letters and consistent reminders to the company on the poor feeding services rendered to Nigerian pilgrims during the Masha’ir period.

The commission, in a statement signed by its Assistant Director, Information and Publication Division, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, and made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday, said the cheery news was contained in a letter dated December 18, 2022, and signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr Ahmad Bin Abbas Sindi.

The letter, which was addressed to the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, reads: “Reference to your letter no. NAHCON/AN43 dated 10/07/2022, regarding the poor quality of service and in order for the company to maintain the national relationship between us, the sum of SR542, 033 (five Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand Thirty-Three Saudi Riyals) has been deducted from the amount of the Masha’ir feeding contract.”

It would be recalled that the 2022 Hajj was marred by poor services rendered by the Muassassah for Nigerian pilgrims, especially feeding during the five-day peak of the pilgrimage, for which the commission protested and wrote several letters drawing the attention of the company to the development.

Reacting to the development after the weekly executive council meeting on Tuesday, the NAHCON chairman said: “The development was heart-warming, as it vindicated the commission’s tenacious struggle to right the wrongs done to Nigerian pilgrims during the Hajj by the Muassassah, especially in the feeding arrangement and the quality of services rendered during the period.”

Hassan added: “I really want to thank my counterparts from the Mutawwifs for this role in ensuring that they refunded the money paid for services not rendered or poorly delivered.”

The Mutawwifs or Muassassah as it is fondly called is Saudi Arabia’s company responsible for the accommodation, transportation and feeding of Nigerian and other African pilgrims in Muna and Arafat during the five-day holy pilgrimage.