Katsina pilgrims get N18m refund

The Saudi Arabia government has refunded N18 million to about 500 pilgrims from Katsina State, who performed the hajj in 2017.

The money was released following intervention of the Katsina State government.
According to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the money was released by the Saudi Arabia government as part of efforts to compensate those “poorly accommodated”.

A statement from the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mannir Yakubu, who was the 2017 Amirul hajj, said each beneficiary got N27,000.

The statement said: “It became imperative  to refund them the money because Governor Aminu Masari’s government is determined to improve the people’s well being…”

“Those in the eighth and ninth flight were beneficiaries. Similarly, the National Hajj Commission refunded N8,000 to the pilgrims”.

Mannir Dan Ali, who spoke for the beneficiaries, thanked the government for the gesture, saying it is the first in history.