The forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Idris Al-Makura, made the condemnation while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the just-concluded 2024 Hajj rituals, on Saturday in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mina, also known as Muna, and commonly known as the “City of the Tents” is a valley located eight kilometres southeast of the city of Mecca.

The city accommodates the pilgrims for over multiple nights in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah (months of Hajj).

Al-Makura, who is the Chairman, Nasarawa State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, said that the infiltration of Mina by the illegal migrants constitutes a nuisance to the environment.

He, therefore, called on the Saudi’s Government to tighten its hole on the Mina entry.

Al-Makura said, ” We are here today because of the just concluded 2024 Hajj rituals and normally we used to sit down and review what has happened and adopt a resolution.

” So that we will be able to plan ahead. As you rightly heard during the post-afarat meeting, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Malam Jalal Arabi, said that 2025 had kick-started.

” So, we are here to let the whole world know what happened during the just concluded hajj ritual.”

Al-Makura said that the forum commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for early processing and approval of the 2024 hajj visas.

” This is the first time that state pilgrims got visas between two to three weeks before an outbound flight.

” And the state pilgrims note with admiration that all the pilgrims spent an equal number of days in Madinah and the commission felicitates entrance into the Rawdah (holy site of worship inside the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah).

“This is commendable and the forum encourages NAHCON to sustain them,” he said.

Al-Makura, who said that the inbound transportation of Nigerian pilgrims was commended, prayed that the outbound operation would be seamless.

He added, ” We also commend NAHCON and the service providers effort’s during the core hajj period. The Forum notes an improvement in accommodations and feeding in this year’s Masha’eer (sites of hajj rituals) compared to the 2022 and 2023 Hajj.

” The Forum, however, called for the inclusion of more local food vendors for future Masha’eer feeding.

” The Forum expresses its dismay with the disappointment of NAHCON by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), despite the arrangements to give all pilgrims 500 dollars each as Basic Travels Allowance (BTA) only to turn around and sell their dollars at the prevailing market rates.”

On Medical services, the forum’s Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Salihu, said the National Medical Team had done its best in the provision of effective service delivery to the Nigerian pilgrims.

” We still have services optimally rendered. I was in one of the clinics and saw how triaging is actually perfectly being carried out.

” And a health worker, myself I can attest to that. So the team is actually working hard to meet the health needs of the pilgrims,” Salihu said. (NAN)