Before President Muhammadu Buhari departed from Saudi Arabia today where he undertook official and religious assignments for Quatar, he handed over a 17-point agenda to the government of Saudi Arabia to help resolve.
Amongst the points, according to a statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, is a better terms and conditions for Nigerians on pilgrimage in that country.
President Buhari directed the Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister and the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) to sit with the Saudi authorities to negotiate improved terms and conditions for the Nigeria pilgrims performing the Umrah and the annual Hajj.
This followed the acceptance by the Saudi government to freely and openly discuss outstanding issues with Nigeria.
President Buhari requested the Saudi authorities to conclude all issues with the Nigerian Hajj Commission, such as the undetermined outcome of their investigation into the stampede at Minnah last year, where 274 Nigeria pilgrims lost their lives.
There is also the case of compensation for six Nigerians killed in the crane incident in the precincts of the Kaaba and 35 others from the stampede whose DNA profile is feared to be missing.
President Buhari equally charged the Ministry and the NAHCON to seek a reduction of Umrah visa fees even as Nigeria appreciated the increase in the Umrah pilgrimage.
The President, nevertheless, asked that the 76,000 seats which Saudi authorities had maintained for Nigerian for the Hajj proper be increased.
The initial meeting in which the 17-point agenda was tendered between the officials of both countries was led by Nigeria’s Minister of State, Mrs. Fatima Abba Ibrahim and the the Chairman of NAHCON, Abdullahi Muhammed on the Nigerian side while the Saudi side was led by the minister of Hajj Affairs, Dr Bandar bin Muhammad al-Hajjar. The statement said that these issues are expected to be elaborated and followed up in the coming weeks. [myad]
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