Registration
By Tukur Muntari
Kano, March 14, 2018 (NAN) The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has given intending pilgrims who paid deposit up to Friday, March 16, to complete payment of their Hajj fare as it plans to close registration of prospective pilgrims on the same day.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Muhammad Abba-Danbatta, made this known
at a news conference in Kano on Wednesday.
He said the advice was necessary to enable the board to commence biometric data capturing of the intending pilgrims as directed by Saudi authorities this year.
He added that “we intend to close registration of prospective pilgrims on Friday, March 16, to enable us to commence biometric data capturing of the pilgrims immediately.”
He explained that Kano, being one of the three designated centres for the biometric data capturing, was expected to cater for seven states in the North West Zone.
“So, there is need for us to start early in view of the fact that no fewer than 50,000 intending pilgrims from the zone are expected to be in Kano for the exercise,”Abba-Danbatta said.
He disclosed that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had allocated 5,500 Hajj seats to Kano State, pointing out that payment of the fare was still ongoing.
The executive secretary, who declined to state the number of prospective pilgrims who paid deposit so far, expressed hope that those who paid would complete payment before the deadline.
“We want to meet the deadline given by NAHCON because it will close its portal for payment on March 31,” he said.
He said the Kano State Government had directed the board to commence payment of refund to pilgrims who paid the Hajj fare in 2017 but did not make it to the Holy Land for one reason or the other.
He added that no fewer than 87 persons were expected to receive refund, which would commence March 14. (NAN)
MTM/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu