Scores of intending pilgrims from Kano, on Tuesday, protested non-inclusion in this year’s pilgrimage after paying two years ago.

The intending pilgrims who made payment through a dedicated account at Jaiz Bank accused the Kano State Pilgrims Board of shortchanging and denying them access to the Holy Land.

Some of protesters stormed the head office of Jaiz Bank and the office of the Kano State Pilgrims Board on Tuesday.

It appeared to the 284 intending pilgrims affected that they would miss the 2022 Hajj when the first batch of the 400 intending pilgrims from Kano State were airlifted to Saudi Arabia on Monday.

One of the affected pilgrims, identified as Auwal Jibrin, said: “We are the ones the National Hajj Commission asked to open an account with Jaiz Bank and deposit our money there. The state pilgrim board has collected our passport and screened us and now we learnt that we have no allocation.

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“We are now left stranded without any assurance. Jaiz Bank has told us that of course there’s a problem and they are working towards ratifying the problem.”

Addressing the protesters, the Executive Secretary, Kano State Pilgrims Board, Abba Dambatta, said the board was doing its best to resolve the problem.

Dambatta noted that there was no Hajj allocation this year for those on savings’ scheme, especially those from Jaiz Bank.

He, however, said efforts were in place to get in touch with National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) to secure Hajj slots for the 284 intending pilgrims.

The Star