Hajj affairs officers in Bauchi State have been urged to embrace the “Change Begins With Me”concept during the 2017 Hajj Operation, the Acting State DIrector Alhaji Nuru Yusuf Kobi says this during a meeting with the Hajj Affairs and Immigration officers from the 20 LGA’s in the State organised by the Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board Bauchi signaling the commencement of the 2017 Hajj preparation. Alhaji Nuru Kobi commended the Board and the Management under the Executive Secretary Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa for their exemplary leadership quality and innovation to simplify the 2016 Hajj processes for all intending pilgrims. Nuru Kobi assured the Board of the Agency’s readiness for collaboration to sensitize all Hajj intending pilgrims in Bauchi State to ensure drug and other ill vices free Hajj exercise in 2017. In his remarks earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Board Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa stated that Bauchi State intending pilgrims would pay a deposit of N250,000 as initial deposit for the payment of 2017 Hajj fare. Hardawa disclosed that N250,000 will be collected in multiples pending the announcement of the actual price of the Hajj fare by the National Hajj Commission.
He added that intending pilgrims can pay N250,000, N500,000, N750,000, N1million as deposit and the payment must reach at least N1,250,000 by April 13, 2017. Hardawa has informed that the sale of forms for the 2017 Hajj exercise will commence January 23, 2017 and will last for two days. Form will be sold at the rate of N500 as directed by the state governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.
The Executive Secretary informed that 2,520 slots were allocated to the state for the 2017 Hajj based on its performance on the 2016 Hajj exercise. 80 percent of the seat goes to first timers while 20 percent goes to old timers.
All intending pilgrims should come along with their two passport photographs, an E-passport and certificate of physical fitness. No pregnant woman will be allowed to perform this year’s Hajj. He said all intending pilgrims in the State will not be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia without producing guarantors who will stand for them to attest to their characters. The guarantors categories include District Heads, Village Heads, Imams of Juma’at Mosque and Federal, State, Civil Servants who are of Grade Level 12 an above or their equivalents in other sectors.