Pilgrim board to refund N35.77m to 2,842 Muslim pilgrims

The Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board on Saturday said it had concluded arrangements to refund N35.76 million to 2,842 pilgrims for services not rendered during the 2015 Hajj.

The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Abdulla Hardawa, said this in Bauchi while addressing newsmen at the board headquarters.

Hardawa said that the money was remitted to the board in March 2016 by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCOM), Abuja.

He added that each pilgrim would be paid N10,919.83 while eight pilgrims who died in the Holy Land would be paid their entitlement to their spouses through the state's Shariah Commission.

He announced that nine other pilgrims who could not perform the 2015 rite due to some reasons were exempted from the refund and their fares was in the account of the board.

Hardawa said that the board had allocated automatic seats to the nine pilgrims for the 2016 Hajj as compensation but called on any of them who was not longer interested to perform the rite to approach the board and collect the money.

He said that pilgrims who had paid their fares through the headquarters of the board would be paid at the Games Village, Bauchi, on April 25, 2016 and April 26, 2016.

``Pilgrims from Bauchi, Gamawa, Zaki and Giade local government areas will also be paid on April 25, 2016 and April 26, 2016.

``Pilgrims from Darazo, Misau, Damam, Shira, Jama'are and Itas Gadau local government areas will collect their payments on April 26, 2016," the executive secretary said.

He further said that pilgrims from Katagum, Toro, Dass, Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa local government areas would be paid on April.27, 2016.