The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has inspected the 10,000 additional bed spaces allocated to Nigeria following a protest by the commission of inadequate bed spaces for Nigerian pilgrims at Mina tent city.
Nigeria had officially protested inadequate tent spaces in Mina whereby the country was allocated the same number of tents given last year when the country’s allocation of pilgrims was 45,000 while this year’s is 95,000.
Following the protest, the Saudi Arabian authorities through the establishment for Africa Non Arab countries provided an additional 10,000 spaces.
The inspection Tuesday was led by the Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikirullah Kunle Hassan accompanied by top management and members of staff 8ncluding the commissioner in charge of operations, Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa.
Nigerian pilgrims resist.
Findings by HAJJ REPORTERS however, indicated that some of the pilgrims earmarked for movement to the alternative spaces provided are rejecting the idea of being relocated to another tents.
A top member of management of the commission told HAJJ REPORTERS in confidence that the alternative spaces provided is few munites walk away from where Nigerian pilgrims are staying, hence pocket of resistance from the pilgrims.
“ We have been allocated spaces around the tents occupies by Turkish pilgrims who are leaving the place very soon. The chairman is leading a team to inspect the place at the moment”
“ We have identified the states whose pilgrims would be moved, but they are resisting because they apparently don’t want to be far away from their fellow Nigerians. In any case, they will be there for two nights only and most contingent will move back to Makkah,” he said.
