The Kebbi State Government has said that it will contribute one million naira to each intending pilgrim following the increase in the 2024 Hajj fares.
Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed-Birnin-Kebbi disclosed this while addressing a press conference shortly after an emergency State Executive Council meeting chaired by the Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar-Tafida, on Monday in Birnin-Kebbi.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, had recently announced that all intending pilgrims from Nigeria would pay a balance of N1.9 million to be able to perform the 2024 Hajj.
Ahmed-Birnin-Kebbi affirmed that the state government promised to support each of the over 3,000 intending pilgrims from Kebbi State with N1 million each, while each of the pilgrims “is expected to complete the remaining balance of over N900,000.”
The commissioner, who expressed satisfaction over the gesture, called on prospective pilgrims to balance up the remaining N0.9 million.
Concerning the recent visit of a committee from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to the Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, the commissioner said the committee members were excited with what they met on ground. The airport, he further assured, had all that it takes for the airlift of pilgrims in the 2024 Hajj exercise.
Similarly, Commissioner for Agriculture Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu confirmed that a 13-man committee has been set up by the state government to investigate the recent upheaval caused by hooligans who attacked some warehouses and carted away food items.
He assured that none of the state government’s stores were attacked while commending the security agencies in the state for bringing the situation under control.
Mu’azu disclosed that the hooligans attacked Dangote palliatives meant for the people of the state, but which were not handled by the state government.