The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has urged intending pilgrims to pay N2,919,000 each for the 2023 hajj fares to avoid losing their seats.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Yusuf Arrigasiyyu, unveiled the figure at a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, April 11.

Arrigasiyyu said those who have not completed the money should do so before April 21 to avoid reallocation of their seats to others.

He said the National Hajj Commission allocated 5,987 seats to Kaduna State which have already been exhausted, adding that the state had written for additional seats.

He noted that the agency had more than 300 requests from intending pilgrims, saying it would not want to lose any seat from Kaduna State.

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The executive secretary said there were some people who would have gone for the hajj in 2023 but couldn’t make it.

Arrigasiyyu, however, urged the pilgrims to complete their money to meet up with the recent Hajj fare.

On the increase, Arrigassiyyu said Kaduna has one of the lowest prices compared to other states like Lagos, and because of its distance to Saudi Arabia.

“Borno has the lowest fare because of its closeness to Saudi Arabia,” the executive secretary said.

He explained that the increase in the hajj fare was because of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision where most of the houses close to the Holy Mosque are demolished for reconstruction.

”Therefore, houses are very difficult to get for Pilgrims to be accommodated in that area,” he added.

Arrigasiyyu, however, said the agency has begun enlightenment of Pilgrims in all the Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, adding: “We are working to ensure that the issues raised last year and this year are addressed before the commencement of airlift by May.”

The executive secretary thanked the commission and other stakeholders for the necessary support in ensuring that the Pilgrims are successfully airlifted from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia.

The Star