Saudi commend Nigeria over Hajj improvements

Category: News Published on Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:00

The Saudi authority has commended Nigeria for improvement in hajj operations over the years.

The Saudi deputy minister for Hajj on projects and holy sites, Dr. Sahal Bin Abdallah Al Sabban disclosed this during a meeting with Nigerian delegation led by the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Abubakar Shehu, NAHCON and foreign affairs ministry officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Dr Sahal congratulated Nigeria for “continued improvement of Hajj operation.” The minister expressed happiness in the conduct of Nigerian pilgrims particularly during the last hajj exercise.

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in a statement signed by Abubakar Bello Kaoje said the minister also promised to cooperate with the Nigerian Hajj Authorities to enhance hajj operation generally.

He said that Saudi Arabia will introduce a Hajj Electronic Data Management Systems to cater for all pilgrims during this year’s hajj.

The two countries reviewed the 2012 hajj operations as well as discuss the level of preparedness for this year’s operation.

On his part, NAHCON Chairman, Muhammad Musa Bello, raised number of issues that need to be addressed, which include “a clear position on the Mahram matter to guard against the re-occurrence of the 2012 episode.”

He called on the review of Nigeria’s Hajj quota taking into account the country’s current population; improvement of sanitation in Masha’eer areas and the need to communicate new guidelines on Hajj in good time.

The meeting was attended by the NAHCON’s commissioner of operation, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, that of policy management and finance, Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, Presidential adviser on aviation, Captain Shehu Iyal, among others.