Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, Executive Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said that the Saudi authority had fixed end of May 2018 as the dateline for the closure of all Hajj registration.
Muhammad made the disclosure on Thursday at a meeting with the State Chairmen of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and Agencies, in Abuja.
He said that the dateline was part of the new reform by the Saudi authority to ensure hitch free hajj operation in the 2018.
The NAHCON boss, therefore, advised state pilgrims boards to work toward meeting the Saudi Arabian dateline for hajj registration to avoid unnecessary delays that could affect smooth hajj operation.
Muhammad also urged leaders of the states pilgrim boards to eliminate all forms of sharp practices associated with hajj registration.
“We should rededicate our energy to avoid any form of corruption and sharp practices in Hajj registration and management in the country,’’ he said.
The executive chairman, however, commended chairmen of states pilgrims’ boards for their commitment and contribution to the success of the just concluded 2017 Hajj operation.
According to him, without their cooperation, the success recorded during the 2017 hajj operation would not have been achieved.
He stated that NAHCON had recorded a “miraculous success’’ in the just concluded 2017 operation, in spite of the challenges faced arising from delays in the hajj registration.
Muhammad, therefore, enjoined them to rededicate themselves towards ensuring hitch free hajj operation in 2018, saying that the race for 2018 Hajj had commenced in earnest.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by the Chairmen of no fewer than 16 State Pilgrims Welfare Board and Agencies as well as Zonal Coordinators of the commission.
The meeting signaled the commencement of the preparation for the 2018 hajj in line with the Islamic calendar, 1439AD.