The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to Hajj and Umrah tour operators to obtain operational licences and warned those operating illegally to prepare to face the full wrath of the law.
The NAHCON inspection team in charge of Lagos axis led by the Head of Tour Operator Unit, Mr Alidu Shutti disclosed this while speaking with our correspondent in Osogbo, shortly after an inspection visit to the offices of Hajj and Umrah tour operators in Osun State.
Shutti explained that after the completion of the 2016 Hajj operation, the Commission submitted the reports of the exercise to President Muhammadu Buhari. He added that after studying the reports, the President ordered that Hajj and Umrah operations must be cleansed.
Shutti advised Hajj and Umrah tour operators to follow necessary procedures and ensure that they register with the commission within 21 days if they desire to continue to operate.
He hinted that President Buhari has mandated security agencies and anti-graft bodies in the country to collaborate with NAHCON to eradicate fraud in Hajj and Umrah traveling operations.
“NAHCON which is the sole regulatory agency for Hajj and Umrah in Nigeria set up three inspection committees to inspect all Hajj and Umrah tour operators. This was intended to look at the activities of the tour operators so as to ascertain whether they are operating in conformity with NAHCON rules and regulation.”
“The tour operators who have not obtained licenses are advised to process and obtain license within 21 days because the commission would be closed down. Any tour operator that operates without license thereafter would be arrested and prosecuted by the commission”.
Shutti said the commission would publish the names of licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators ahead of 2017 Hajj and advised Nigerians not to patronise any operator that is not licensed by NAHCON.