The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board pegged the initial deposit for the 2023 holy pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at a sum of N2,640,000.00.
The Hon. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, disclosed this in a statement, directed all the intending pilgrims that couldn’t perform the Y2022 holy pilgrimage but left their money with the State Government and defer their intentions for Y2023, to endeavor to pay the sum of N1,340,000.00 in addition to the initial deposit of N1.3 million paid between 2019 and 2022.
The statement stressed further that those that had already completed the N2,640,000.00 charged for last spiritual exercise but couldn’t perform the pilgrimage due to circumstances beyond their control are not affected by the statement.
According to the Commissioner, each of the intending pilgrim is expected to raise a ‘Bank Draft’ in favour of ‘Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board’ from any of the Commercial banks in the country and submit same to the Accounts department of the Board for further necessary action.
He stressed that no intending pilgrims should pay the money into any individual account, warning that whoever does so is on his/her own.
While urging them to start paying the money as soon as possible, Elegushi stressed that if there is going to be any additional charges to the N2.640 million, the Board would inform them on time.
Recall that some of the over 4,000 intending pilgrims that were supposed to perform the Y2022 holy pilgrimage could not do so due to some factors which includes; inadequate slots allocated to the State by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), increment in the fare, age barrier, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Hon. Commissioner had earlier given assurances that the intending pilgrims who left their money with the State Government between 2019 and 2022 for the forthcoming Y2023 exercise would be given priority of first come – first served opportunity when the spiritual exercise eventually commenced.
