The Kogi Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board says 717 slots had been allocated to the state for this year’s hajj by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
The Executive Chairman of the board, Sheikh Lukman Abdullah, who disclosed this on Monday in Lokoja, said that the figure was far less than the 838 slots allocated to the state in 2017.
Abdullah spoke during a courtesy call on the Chairman of the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Adeiza Momoh Jimoh.
He, however, said that the board was making efforts to get additional slots, adding that preparations for the 2018 hajj had commenced.
Abdallah, who said that the greatest challenge facing the board and intending pilgrims was time, noted that all intending pilgrims had been given March 31 deadline to complete the payment of N1.5 million hajj fare.
The Chairman reiterated that the green color e-passport, national identity card and medical report are compulsory for all intending pilgrims.