Nigerian pilgrims restricted to Madina
Nigerian pilgrims are to stay in Madina for five days before moving to Makkah, according to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The pilgrims are in the Holy land for the Hajj pilgrimage.
Mousa Ubandawaki, the NAHCON’s deputy director of information, said they received complaints about Nigerians pilgrims crowding the City of Madina and that the decision was necessary to avoid sanctions against the country for airlifting
pilgrims beyond the number of the available accommodation.
He said, “The commission had to adopt the new policy after wide consultations and exhaustive deliberation. Moreover, it is a known fact that Nigerian pilgrims live in the exclusive Markaziyya area during their stay, a decision which has been overwhelmingly commended and for which the commission never intended to compromise.”
“As tough a decision this may seem, we felt it is a necessary action we need to take.
“At the same time it was considered more utilitarian for Nigerian pilgrims to spend five days in Madina, thereby allowing more pilgrims to travel to Madina in the first phase from where they would be moved to Makkah to continue with their Hajj rites than to delay their departure for wants of bed spaces in the Prophet’s city.”
