Tour operators threaten legal action against NAHCON
The Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN) has announced plans to pursue legal action against the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) if it does not refund over 17 billion naira owed to its members.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday, AHOUN President Abdullateef Ekundayo Yusuf expressed frustration over NAHCON’s prolonged silence regarding the funds owed to its operators.
He highlighted that the debt includes refunds for caution deposits, unused visas, excess payments, and Umrah deposits — all of which remain unaddressed by the commission.
READ ALSO: How NAHCON chair, Jalal Arabi, overpaid self, others from N90bn 2024 hajj subsidy – EFCC
Yusuf pointed out that last year alone, NAHCON collected more than N2.7 billion in caution deposits from AHOUN members, with the understanding that these funds would be returned within two weeks after the Hajj concluded.
“NAHCON has refuse to refund any of the companies that applied for it, instead they are asking for more money as increase to the last year’s deposit.
“The Commission has attested to have held our members’ funds through several engagements example unused visa, excess payments, Umrah deposit etc., and have not shown any sign of refunding such funds.
“In fact, our agreement with the Commission to publish the list of the companies under this category since last year have not been met. It is worth noting that many of our members have passed on waiting for these refunds,” Yusuf said.
“Furthermore, NAHCON is owing our members over N15 Billion. It was the practice of the Saudi government after each Hajj operation to refund money to countries on three grounds. Number one, services paid by pilgrims but not rendered, number two services paid for but poorly rendered to the agreed standard, number three tent security deposits. Our members are owed all these categories of money from 2022 Hajj to date by the commission.” got to know through media reports, before they now confirmed to us at our last meeting.”
Proofreading by Fa’izatu Aliyu Doma, Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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