Nigeria has appealed to the Saudi authorities to increase Nigeria’s pilgrims quota in subsequent hajj.
HAJJ REPORTERS recalls that the Kingdom had allocated about 95,000 Hajj slots to Nigeria, a normal figure that the African countries gets before the outbreak of COVID-19.
However, the figure, in recent years appears, to be inadequate in view of the increase in demand for Hajj seats each year from Nigerians wishing to undertake the religious journey.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Yahaya Lawal made the appeal on Thursday Thursday, at the meeting of Organization Of Islamic Countries, OIC, in Jeddah.
He equally called on the authorities to include Nigeria in the Makkah Router initiative, which at present seven countries are its beneficiary.
Alhaji Yahaya said at present Nigeria is the fourth, or fifth country with the largest number of pilgrims that participate in Umrah and Hajj exercises in the Kingdom, year-in, year-out.
The envoy further reiterated his earlier advice to Nigerian pilgrims to be good ambassadors of their country and religion by being law abiding and respecting laid down rules and regulations for ease of interaction.
He enjoined pilgrims to make maximum use of their Allah’s given opportunity to maximize their temporal and spiritual benefits of the pilgrimage.
Alhaji Yahaya Lawal also called on the pilgrims to diligently utilise facilities put in place to ensure their comfort, wellbeing and ease of performing the Hajj rites and other religious activities.
