Yunus Olawale
The Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has commenced registrations for prospective pilgrims who intend to embark on the 2024 pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Saudi Arabia. This was contained in the statement released and signed by Alhaji Ahmad Saleh, the Assistant Chief Information Officer of the Board, and made available to journalists in Abuja.
The sale of forms and registration commenced on September 25, 2023, and prospective pilgrims should make their payment through a bank draft payable in favour of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abuja.
In the statement, Alhaji Ahmad also stated that prospective pilgrims should make valid international passports and NIN available at the point of registration with the Area Officers at their respective Secretariats of the six Area Councils in the FCT nearest to them. He emphasized that the Board would not accept cash deposits. He said, “The board does not accept cash deposits and does not entertain registration by proxy. It will also adhere strictly to the principles of first come, first served basis.”
It should be recalled that the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, announced that prospective pilgrims should start making a minimum deposit sum of four million, five hundred thousand Naira (4.5 million Naira). He further stated that the increase in the fare of the pilgrimage is as a result of fluctuations that do occur in foreign exchange, i.e. from Naira to Dollar exchange.