News
On Defending 2023 Hajj Anomalies
By ‘Yinka Raheem
After several appeals by some respected stakeholders in the Nigerian hajj industry, I had decided to turn a blind eye to the confusion and controversies that trailed the 2023 hajj – right from its nascent stage of exorbitant fares, arbitrary deduction of pilgrims BTA, commencement of inaugural flight with rescue operation, pilgrims protests in Lagos, non-payment of airlines, poor feeding and rickety accommodation in Makkah and Madinah, the unprecedented eyesore in Mina and Arafat services, discarding ‘first-in, first-out policy’ leading to pilgrims spending over 45 days in Saudi Arabia, among others.
However, I am constrained to intervene now because of some obvious calculated mischief being executed through a failed and amateurish attempt to defend the indefensible and give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
My attention was drawn to an article authored by one Abdulfatah Abdulsalam, entitled: “Hajj Airlift: The lies of a journalist,” published in some social media platforms. The author claims to be an ‘editor’ of a faith-based blog/magazine. The author painstakingly tried to attack one of Nigeria’s reputable newspapers – Daily Nigerian – for publishing an exclusive story: “2023 Hajj: NAHCON yet to pay airlines weeks after conclusion of airlift” published on August 17, 2023. The story was authored by one of the newspaper’s prolific editors, Ibrahim Ramalan.
Mr Abdulsalam – embellishing praise singing and barefaced lies with some religious garbs – laboriously tried to discredit the story, but woefully failed due to one single reason: the story is a fact and nothing but a fact. This is evident because two weeks after the story, NAHCON didn’t come out to deny that it had violated the 2023 airlift agreement it signed with hajj carriers by not paying them as scheduled.
The mercenary author didn’t dispute the fact that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has not yet paid the airlines that airlifted Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj, four weeks after the end of the 2023 holy pilgrimage. This is an undeniable fact.
None of the five airlines — Max Air, Flynas, Air Peace, Aero Contractors and Azman Air — contracted by NAHCON to airlift 75,000 state pilgrims to 2023 hajj has come out to say they have been paid on schedule as agreed in the airlift MoU.
It is a fact that the airlines have completed inbound airlift on 31 July, 2023, when the last batch of Nigerian pilgrims returned home, officially ending the 2023 hajj operations, and today is September 1, 2023 – exactly one month after the end of hajj, and two weeks since the story was published – but NAHCON is still owing the airlines substantial amounts.
Mr Abdulsalam didn’t deny the existence of the 2023 Hajj Airlift Agreement, signed between NAHCON and the airlines. He also didn’t deny that NAHCON had grossly breached the contractual agreement.
Article 4.2 of the 2023 Hajj Airlift Agreement provides that NAHCON shall pay the air carriers 50% of the total agreed sum after signing of the airlift agreement and presentation of a bank guarantee.
The commission would pay another 35% upon completion of the outbound airlift to Saudi Arabia.
The article also provides that the airlines would be paid 10% after evacuation of 50% of inbound pilgrims back to Nigeria; while the remaining 5% would be paid to the airlines after reconciliation.
As Daily Nigerian accurately reported, quoting relevant sources, NAHCON has failed to meet its obligations one month after the completion of the hajj exercise.
In clear violation of the agreement, the commission only paid some of the airlines the second tranche after the commencement of the inbound journey.
The author didn’t also deny that NAHCON has blamed President Bola Tinubu (for its failure to transfer funds to CBN in time), even though the president was sworn-in five days after the commencement of 2023 hajj airlift.
It was a fact that thousands of pilgrims almost missed the 2023 hajj because of the delay in visa processing occasioned by NAHCON’s late remittance of funds to the Central Bank of Nigeria. The CBN couldn’t remit the funds to the pilgrims’ agencies and tour operators’ bank accounts in Saudi Arabia for the payment of hajj services. It took the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who directed CBN to process the payment despite the late remittance by NAHCON. This is another irrefutable fact.
It was, however, surprising how the commission, while seeking for three-day extension from Saudi Arabian authorities, blamed President Tinubu for its gross failure to remit pilgrims funds to CBN in time.
In a letter dated 21 June, 2023, with Reference No: NAHCON/AN/43/, the commission blamed President Tinubu for causing the financial hiccups that marred 2023 operations.
Addressing Saudi’s Vice Minister of Hail and Umrah, Dr. Abdel Fattah Mishaat, in a letter titled “Request for Extension of Deadline,” NAHCON chairman Zikirullah Kunle Hassan specifically blamed Mr Tinubu for halting transfer of funds abroad.
The letter signed by Mr Hassan read, “There was a change of government in Nigeria and the new government directed a halt in transfer of government funds which caused serious delay in the transfer of funds into the International Bank Accounts (BAN) and this delayed our processing of pilgrims’ visa.” This is another fact.
It was also a fact that about 29,000 pilgrims from Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states – who traveled to hajj through Flynas had asked NAHCON to refund the $100 deducted from their BTA ahead of the 2023 hajj.
The commission had deducted the BTA of the 75,000 pilgrims and shared it with the four local airlines – Max Air, Air Peace, Azman Air and Aero Contractors – that refused to sign the airlift agreement because of the Sudan conflict.
When the newspaper contacted the spokesperson of NAHCON, Mr Mousa Ubandawaki, he didn’t deny that NAHCON was owing the airlines. What he did was to explain the reasons for the delay in the payment to the airliners.
Mr Ubandawaki said the delay was a result of the discrepancy in the exchange rate. He said the exchange rate at the time the MoU was signed was around N400 to $1, adding that at the conclusion of the exercise, the exchange rate skyrocketed to about N700 to $1.
Fact is, Mr Ubandawaki’s excuses couldn’t hold water. There was no way the fluctuations in the Investors and Exporters Window would affect hajj operation. Mr President usually gives approval for exchange rate for the entire hajj transactions.
And since NAHCON has purportedly remitted the airlines’ funds to CBN in naira, the equivalent value in dollars (as per president’s exchange rate approval) would have been credited into its dollar account. Where are the fluctuations in the exchange rate? All hajj payments are made to CBN long before pilgrims airlift begins. Thereafter, NAHCON only pays its service providers, including airlines, from its funded dollar accounts.
The commission can only speak of exchange rate fluctuations if it did not fund its dollar accounts (by remitting all hajj funds paid to it by the state pilgrims boards) as demanded by law. This would be another breach that may require the attention of anti-graft agencies.
Insiders in the commission tell whoever cares to know that the Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel Management & Finance (PPMF) does what he likes and ignores the professional advice of his staff, while Mr Zikirullah remains helpless and can’t call him to order because they are birds of the same feathers.
It is childish to say the delay in payments by NAHCON was because it’s doing administrative due diligence. Let’s see this: the commission got the president’s approval for hajj exchange rate at least two weeks before it announced hajj fare on April 7, 2023. There is a solid two months between that time and the beginning of airlift on May 24, 2023. What was the commission doing in those two months?
Invariably, the way the commission conducted 2023 hajj exposed its administrative naivety. If at all they were afraid of exchange rate fluctuations, what they should simply do was go back to President Tinubu after May 29 and seek the revalidation of all approvals granted by his predecessor. That was not done. Rather, they blamed him for their gross ignorance.
It is on record that this is the first time in NAHCON’s history that the commission is still talking about the third tranche of airlines’ payment one month after the hajj was concluded. I stand to be corrected. This is also the first the commission is talking about foreign exchange differentials one month after hajj. Who is now going to shoulder the differentials? NAHCON or the federal government? This is totally avoidable if the NAHCON management knows its onions.
Like I said at the beginning, my intervention is precipitated by Mr Abdulsalam’s desperate attempt to deny what NAHCON didn’t deny, by callously trying to impeach the integrity of a professional journalist, by calling him a liar. Where is the lie? Who is lying between Mr Ubandawaki and Mr Abdulsalam? Why is Abdulsalam trying to shave NAHCON’s head in its absence?
Mr Abdulsalam is truly oblivious of the Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions that command us to say the truth notwithstanding whose ox is gored. A wholistic review of the 2023 hajj is underway. NAHCON ti n run, ko si iye ti ikede ti o le sọ òórùn àkóràn rẹ jẹ. (NAHCON stinks, no amount of propaganda can deodorise its infectious stench).
Mr Raheem can be reached at raheemy2050@gmail.com
Traders in Lagos have voiced their concerns regarding the significant decline in food sales, particularly for pepper, attributing the downturn to rising prices and the diminished purchasing power of local residents.
In interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), both traders and consumers shared their experiences regarding patronage as the Sallah celebration approaches.
Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, Chairman of the Tomato Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (Kaduna chapter), linked the situation to the heightened prices of produce and the weakened purchasing capacity of consumers. He stated, “Pepper prices in the north are also steep, with a jumbo 50kg bag reaching as high as N150,000, compared to N60,000 to N70,000 just months ago. This price surge may adversely affect the Sallah festivities, as only a few consumers may afford these products.”
Zuntu further explained, “Currently, we are outside the pepper farming season. Insufficient rainfall has led to a scarcity of this commodity, with only a handful of farmers involved in irrigation. Many will resort to using dried pepper, which is more affordable during this time, although demand remains low. We anticipate an increase in demand as the celebration nears.”
Mrs. Mistura Balogun, a pepper vendor at Lawanson Market in Surulere, echoed these sentiments, noting the unusually low customer turnout. “It’s not just pepper that has become expensive; many other goods have seen price increases as well. Typically, this time of year should see a bustling market, but today is quite different. I have been at my stall since morning, and the number of customers is minimal,” she lamented.
Similarly, Mrs. Mojisola Gbadegesin, another pepper seller at Idi-Araba market, reported a stark decrease in patronage. “Despite the high prices, we usually see customers buying pepper, but this year is different. The market feels deserted, and business is sluggish,” she remarked.
Mrs. Judith Amen, also a foodstuff vendor, highlighted that the rising prices of pepper and other food items are likely to escalate further as the celebrations peak. “At the start of the week, a small bag of scotch bonnet pepper was priced at N70,000, and I expect prices to soar over the weekend due to Sallah. A good quality bag of rice is selling for N85,000, while lower-quality options range from N60,000 to N75,000. Although patronage is currently low, we anticipate an uptick a day before Sallah, but consumers will only purchase what they can afford,” she explained.
Mr. John Nwabueze, a trader in the Agege area, expressed frustration over the lack of customers as Eid celebrations begin. “Sales have been notably low, with people buying only what their budgets allow. The market has been unusually quiet, affecting all commodities, including rice. A 50kg bag of rice is priced between N76,000 and N78,000, yet sales remain sluggish this Sallah,” he noted.
Mrs. Amina Fakunle, a resident of the Alimosho area, remarked that the high cost of pepper would lead consumers to celebrate in a more subdued manner. “Just six pieces of pepper cost about N500, which is the lowest price available. With these prices, people will likely opt for a low-key celebration,” she stated.
Mr. David Oriafo, a resident of the Dopemu area, also commented on the lack of festive activity in the market. “I managed to purchase a few items for my family to save costs, but it’s evident that the usual festive buzz is missing. People are only buying what they can afford, much like myself,” he shared. (NAN)
A Nigerian boxer, Segun “Success” Olanrewaju, has died after slumping during a boxing match in Ghana.
The Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Remi Aboderin confirmed the death of the boxer on Sunday.
The 40-year-old boxer, nicknamed “Success”, stumbled to the canvas while fighting Jon Mbanugu, a Ghanian, at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra, on Saturday.
Olanrewaju was not punched or near his opponent when he collapsed violently in round three of the light-heavyweight bout.
The referee called the match immediately, and medical aid was ushered into the ring.
Olarenwaju died after he was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Ther boxer was a former West African and national light-heavyweight champion.
He competed in 24 bouts with 13 wins, eight losses, and three draws.
In 2022, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo, another boxer, also died after suffering a technical knockout (TKO) in a bout at the National Sports Festival (NSF) in Delta.
Igboanugo died after he took a fatal blow to the nose and did not survive the hit.
President Bola Tinubu has revealed the political calculus behind his decision to approve the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) exit from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
He disclosed that he first asked FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, whether the move would give his party an electoral advantage in the nation’s capital.
Speaking during the 2025 Eid-el-Fitr homage by FCT residents at the Presidential Villa, Tinubu offered an unusually candid account of how the major fiscal reform came about—and the political considerations that shaped it.
“I remember the day Nyesom Wike came to me and said, ‘Please, take us out of this problem of TSA, so that I can do more work, and I achieve more,’” the President recounted.
According to Tinubu, before granting the request, he challenged Wike to explain how the reform would benefit not just governance but also his political interests.
“Then I said, ‘Okay, tell me what you’re about to do.’ And he presented it. And I threw in my own political guide. I said, ‘Would that give me any opportunity for my party to win the election in FCT?’”
The President, referencing the political dynamic between Wike—a member of the opposition—and himself, continued: “I said, ‘I know where you are coming from—your own party or my party. If this thing goes too much in your own favour, you will lose your job.’ Then he said, ‘Okay, we settle that, Oga.’”
President Tinubu also declared that hunger is reducing, security is improving, and Nigeria is beginning to feel the results of his administration’s reforms.
Tinubu attributed part of the visible progress in the FCT to the efforts of Minister Wike.
The President, who expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for the successful completion of Ramadan, said Nigerians are starting to experience relief across several sectors.
“We are living in peace, and security is improving. There is satisfaction in our output. The hunger is coming down. Food prices lowering. We are able to go to the market and do business,” he said.
While addressing the diverse delegation from the FCT, Tinubu praised the spirit of discipline, prayer, and compassion exhibited during the holy month of Ramadan.
He urged Nigerians to carry those values into everyday life, especially in caring for the less privileged.
“We must continue to share. We must remember the orphanages, the widows, the have-nots—believing that we can share both in joy and in times of need,” he said.
Turning his attention to developments within the FCT, President Tinubu applauded Wike, for bringing progressive ideas and executing key projects.
He cited the revival of abandoned infrastructure, the rehabilitation of health centers and schools, and the modernization of public services.
“We wouldn’t have been able to open our mouth to even celebrate if not for the progressive ideas you have given,” Tinubu told Wike. “The health facilities are being upgraded, our teachers and schools are being rehabilitated. Thank you, Wike.”
He also commended Wike’s performance as a southerner effectively managing affairs in the heart of northern Nigeria.
“That is a very good reflection of our diversity that we must use for our prosperity,” the President noted.
In his remarks, Wike congratulated the President and the Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of the 30-day fast, describing the holy month as a season that instills values of sacrifice, self-discipline, compassion, and unity—values he said align with the President’s leadership style.
“This visit marks a historic moment,” Wike noted. “It is the first time residents of the FCT have had the opportunity to extend our greetings and best wishes to you in person during this blessed period. We are truly delighted to be here.”
Highlighting the developmental strides achieved under Tinubu’s administration, Wike praised the President’s support in enabling key institutional reforms in the FCT.
He cited the FCTA’s exit from the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the creation of the FCT Civil Service Commission, the establishment of new Mandate Secretariats for Women and Youths, and the appointment of Permanent Secretaries as landmark steps that have strengthened governance and service delivery in the territory.
“None of these significant strides would have been possible without your commitment to the well-being of the FCT and its residents,” Wike said.
He further affirmed the FCT Administration’s unwavering loyalty to the Tinubu-led government and reiterated its full commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the delegation that accompanied him to the Villa represented the rich diversity of the FCT—spanning religious, political, and traditional leaders, heads of security agencies, civil servants, members of the media, and everyday residents.
“Despite our different backgrounds, we are united in our unwavering support for your administration. This unity demonstrates our collective commitment to national progress under your visionary leadership,” the Minister added.
Wike also disclosed that the FCT is preparing an array of impactful projects for commissioning as President Tinubu’s second anniversary in office approaches.
These projects, he said, are focused on infrastructure development, improved economic opportunities, and enhanced quality of life for FCT residents.
“We still recall with gratitude your physical presence at five of the nine projects commissioned during your first anniversary. We now look forward to hosting Your Excellency again to witness firsthand the tangible progress made over the past 12 months,” Wike said.
Concluding his address, the FCT Minister offered prayers for the President, the First Lady, and the entire First Family, wishing them good health, wisdom, and divine guidance.
“May this Eid bring peace, prosperity, and continued progress to our nation,” he said.