Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has authorised the disbursement of N521 million to support pilgrims embarking on the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, Chairman of this year’s Amirul Hajj Committee, disclosed this in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
The funds will cover the cost of animal sacrifice obligations and the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) shortfall for the pilgrims.
The disbursement includes N261 million for purchasing sacrificial animals and N260.4 million for the BTA differential.
The initial arrangement provided each pilgrim with $415 (N581,000) instead of $500 (N700,000), and the governor paid the BTA differential due to the Naira’s depreciation to N1,400 per dollar.
Lawan stated that the state government consistently supports its citizens on religious pilgrimages to Makkah and Jerusalem, Israel. He also confirmed that all Borno State pilgrims are in good health and ready to begin Hajj rituals.
Simultaneously, 1,869 Lagos State pilgrims will depart Makkah for Mina to start the major Hajj rites, which occur from the eighth to the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah.
Amir-ul-Hajj Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode detailed that the pilgrims would move to Mina between midnight and early Friday morning, proceed to Mount Arafah on Saturday, then travel to Musdalifah to observe prayers and collect pebbles. The pebble-throwing ritual at Jamarat will be performed over three days, from the 10th to the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah.
On the 10th day, Muslims worldwide will celebrate Eid-ul-Kabir by slaughtering sacrificial rams. After completing the Hajj rites, the pilgrims will return to Makkah and stay there until their departure back to Nigeria.