The chairman of the Edo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua has emphasized that the deadline for the payment of 2024 Hajj fare is 31st December 2023.
This clarification was made at the Arafat Central Mosque, Auchi on Thursday 16 of November 2023 during a pre-Hajj awareness meeting and served as a reminder for prospective pilgrims to complete their payments well in advance of the upcoming Hajj season.
He emphasized that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has also announced the minimum deposit of Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,500,000.00) pending when the final fare shall be announced adding that issuance of visa will commence on 3 March 2024 and end by April 29, 2024.
According to Sheikh Oyarekhua, “Saudi’s policy as it concerns Hajj operations has changed. This is basically to enable the Saudi Arabia Hajj Authority to address the issues suffered by pilgrims in the past years. For example, over 20-thousand Nigerians didn’t have bed spaces in Minna during last year’s Hajj. This was because Nigeria kept issuing visas up to the last day to Arafat. As such, there was no adequate preparation in advance. The Saudi Authority was blamed and the authority has said, this has to stop. This time, issuance of visa into Saudi Arabia will close 50-days before Arafat.”
He added: “We understand how important Hajj is to Iman, Muslim communities and organizations because Hajj is a religious obligation. Therefore, I urge you all in Edo State to be actively involved in spreading the message of this new development as it affects Hajj in order not to deprive our people of the opportunity to perform Hajj by 2024.”
He said that Nigeria as a country was allotted 95,000 slots out of which 412 slots have been allocated to Edo State.
“We need to use these slots, exhaust them and request for more. We understand that the cost of Hajj this time is almost two times that of last year which makes it very expensive. With an initial deposit of N4.5million, we may be looking at almost N6-million this time. But if Allah has destined you to make it, you will certainly make it” Oyarekhua noted.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires meticulous planning and financial arrangements. With the approaching deadline, individuals intending to undertake this sacred journey are urged to ensure prompt payment to secure their place in the pilgrimage.
The chairman, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua stressed the importance of meeting the payment deadline to avoid any last-minute complications or cancellations. This declaration aims to streamline the administrative process and facilitate the smooth execution of the pilgrimage for all the intending participants.
Prospective pilgrims are encouraged to stay updated with the Edo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and adhere to the payment schedule to avoid any inconveniences. The December 31 deadline serves as a critical milestone for those planning to embark on this deeply significant spiritual journey.
As the countdown to the deadline begins, individuals are advised to promptly complete their payments, ensuring a hassle-free preparation process for the Hajj exercise.
