From: Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, received the report on the 2017 Hajj Operations as well as preparations for the 2018 exercise.
Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammed, briefed the President in his office, according to sources.
The NAHCON boss was said to have given “a brief update on Hajj 2017 and what the commission is planning for the 2018 religious exercise,” to the President.
The sources also said the president commended NAHCON for the smooth Hajj operations in 2017 and encouraged the commission to go a step further and ensure that next year’s operations surpassed that of this year.
A total of 79,000 pilgrims made the 2017 hajj, making Nigeria among the top 10 list of countries with highest number of pilgrims that made this year’s Hajj.
A total number of 14 Nigerian pilgrims died during this year’s hajj.
While seven were pre-Arafat with two pilgrims from Kaduna, Yobe, Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina and the FCT; seven were post-Arafat, with two pilgrims from Kano (one international); and one each from Osun, FCT, Zamfara, Katsina and one NAHCON legal adviser.