The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has expressed concern over the poor services rendered to Nigerian pilgrims by the Saudi Authorities during the just concluded religious rites in Mina, Arafat , and Muzdalifa .
The Commission is also seeking a refund from the Saudi Authorities for the money it paid for food.
The Chairman of the Commission made these demands at a stakeholders at a meeting in Makkah .
Ninety five thousand Nigerian pilgrims made it to hajj this year, this is first time in years that Nigeria is being issued this number of slots.
But this became a challenge for both the Saudi Authorities and the National Hajj Commission as issues like poor accommodation and food, came to the fore.
These challenges were especially evident in Mina , Arafat , and Muzdalifa where pilgrims had to spend five days to perform hajj rites .
Nigerian officials are not happy with the services rendered by the Saudi Authorities .
Pilgrims complained to their leaders from various states and to the National Hajj Commission, to do something about this because they don’t want to break faced with the same experience in the future .
At a meeting, the Chairman National Hajj Commission Zikhrullah Kunle Hassan expressed displeasure at the Motawif ’s allocation of a forty three thousand capacity for ninety five thousand, which forced pilgrims to stay outside under harsh weather conditions .
He urged Saudi Authorities to refund the money the commission paid for food affirming that the commission would be writing a formal Letter requesting for it.
Saudi Authorities on their part promised to collate and review complaints made by the National Hajj Commission .
They assured Nigerian Hajj Commission that the Company will come up with a suitable solution that will be accepted by both parties in order to have successful hajj in the future.
Leaders of the Tour operators and representatives of the state pilgrims boards also support the Chairman Hajj Commission’s complaints.
So far ten flights have conveyed over three thousand eight hundred and eleven pilgrims back to Nigeria since the end of final hajj rites .
