Nigerian Pilgrims Are Starving In Saudi Arabia —Gov Bago

GOVERNOR Umaru Bago of Niger State has tackled the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, over alleged poor treatment of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

Bago, in a series of tweets, yesterday, alleged that the commission is not providing enough food for pilgrims in the Arabian country.

The governor asked NAHCON not to force Arabian food on Nigerians, adding that some people are “falling sick”.

He said: “NAHCON has no business in chartering flights; it is not their business to feed the pilgrims because of the food.

“For example, I am from Niger State. If you allow me to feed pilgrims, I will be able to trans-ship foods that people are locally used to, to Saudi Arabia to feed my own pilgrims.

“I will be able to get a Kitchen that will feed my pilgrims from what they are used to, not to come and give them slices of bread or boil egg and people are starving.

“We have different cultures; you cannot force the Arabian Cuisine on our people and that is why they are falling sick.”

On the need for the private sector to drive operations of pilgrimage, Bago said: “If NAHCON must exist, then they should strictly be a regulator but as I have told you, I am leading committees of Governors to the NGF, from there we go to the NEC. I will propose this motion, and we will send a bill to the National Assembly where issues of this NAHCON should be reviewed.”

He also wondered why pilgrims got only $400 after subsidy was paid by the Federal Government.

He said: “What is $400? Somebody paid N8 million to you, NAHCON, and you come and give them a stipend of $400 to run themselves for 1 month? There is no reason why Hajj operations should last beyond 2 weeks.

“You bring pilgrims for 40 days; you leave them here, some 45 days, it’s ridiculous, because of racketeering in airlifting, in handling of cargo and other things.”

The Niger state governor said the federal government is “too big to be worried” about Hajj operations, as it is the business of the local governments.