The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has approved a flat rate of N1,535,505 as the Hajj fare for Kaduna State intending pilgrims for 2017 hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The Public Relations Officer of Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare of the Board, Yunusa Abdullahi, made the known in a statement on Saturday.
He said a letter sent to the board by the NAHCON explained that the Hajj fare was arrived at after computation of all hajj components, including accommodation in Makkah and Madinah.
Abdullahi explained that all pilgrims were to receive 800 US dollars as Basic Travelling Allowance, since no provision was made for minimum and maximum hajj fares as practised in the past.
“Already prospective pilgrims from the state have made deposits of between N800,000 and N1.2 million with the board.
“NAHCON has appointed Jaiz Bank Plc to collect N38,000 from the intending pilgrims for the hadaya (sacrificial ram) fees through the board and would later remit same to the designated accounts of Jaiz Bank Plc.
“All the intending pilgrims are expected to obtain customized bank teller at their respective Local Government registration centres before making the payment.
The Overseer of the Kaduna Board, Imam Hussaini Tsoho urged the intending pilgrims to hasten payment as the process of acquiring visa would soon commence.
He said there is the need to pay the balance of the fare to the NAHCON on schedule.
According to him, defaulters risk forfeiting their chance to make the trip, because NAHCON has also fixed deadline for remittance of the fare.
