The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has fixed N2,640,000.00 as initial deposit for the year 2023 pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi in a statement directed all the intending pilgrims that could not perform the year 2022 holy pilgrimage but left their money with the state government to pay the sum of N1.3m in addition to the initial deposit of N1.3 million paid between 2019 and 2022.
Daily Trust reports that the N2.6m is about the same price paid for the last exercise this year as against less than N1.5m paid in the previous year.
Also, some of the intending pilgrims including those who are deceased recently got a refund of their deposit on request.
The commissioner in the statement by Taofeek Lawal, Asst. Director, Public Affairs, in the Ministry said each of the intending pilgrims is expected to raise a ‘bank draft’ to be submitted to the board.
He stressed that no intending pilgrim should pay the money into any individual account, warning that whoever does so is on his/her own.
While urging them to start paying the money as soon as possible, Elegushi stressed that if there is going to be any additional charge to the N2.640 million, the board would inform them on time.
The commissioner had earlier assured the intending pilgrims who left their money with the state government between 2019 and 2022 for the forthcoming 2023 exercise would be given priority when the exercise commences.
