By Kadiri Abdulrahman
Lagos – Intending pilgrims from Lagos State have been directed to complete payment for the 2018 Hajj by April 30 to facilitate their participation in the exercise.
Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, gave the directive during a stakeholders meeting on Friday in Lagos.
AbduLateef was represented at the occasion by the Chairman, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Dr Tajudeen Yusuf.
The commissioner said the deadline was extended from March 31 to April 30 to give room for many pilgrims to undertake the exercise.
“We urge intending pilgrims to pay in full before the deadline of April 30 lapses.
“I urge them take advantage of the new date so as not to miss out,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the deadline was a joint decision of the Saudi authorities and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
“As you are all aware, this is a joint decision by the Saudi authorities and NAHCON, Lagos state has no powers to influence it.
“Intending pilgrims from Lagos need to take it seriously so as not to miss the opportunity of performing the 2018 Hajj,” he said.
He said that the weekend enlightenment lectures, which began on April 21, would continue in all the 18 designated local government centres in the state.
He called for peaceful co-existence among various religious groups as the state government was determined to improve basic infrastructures in the state.
