Tour operators allege N15bn debt by NAHCON

The Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria has alleged that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria owes over N15bn in refunds from Hajj exercises dating back to 2004.

AHUON’s National President, Abdullateef Ekundayo, made this claim on Monday at a world press conference in Abuja, where he criticised the commission for insisting that it would continue preparations for the 2025 Hajj with or without AHUON’s involvement.

The association had earlier issued a directive to its members to indefinitely suspend activities for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage over NAHCON’s failure to pay accumulated refunds.

In a statement on Friday, AHUON explained that NAHCON did not respond to letters of request submitted by the association until Tuesday, September 24, 2024, citing the need to keep Hajj processing on schedule according to the Saudi Hajj calendar.

In response, NAHCON issued a statement urging AHUON not to hinder preparations for the 2025 Hajj, attributing delays in resolving certain financial issues to the complexities of Hajj operations.

NAHCON noted that these operations involve multiple stakeholders, both locally and internationally, including Saudi authorities.

However, at the press conference on Monday, Ekundayo clarified that the AHUON was not denying NAHCON its right as a regulator to proceed with Hajj preparations but insisted that the commission address the pending issues.

“From 2004 to date, the commission has admitted to holding our members’ funds through several engagements. Examples include unused visas, excess payments, Umrah deposits, and other categories, yet they have not shown any intention to refund such funds. In fact, our agreement with the commission to publish a list of the companies affected since last year has not been fulfilled. It is worth noting that many of our members have passed on while waiting for these refunds.

“NAHCON owes our members over N15bn. It has been the practice of the Saudi government after each Hajj operation to refund money to countries on three grounds: one, services paid for by pilgrims but not rendered; two, services paid for but poorly rendered, and three, tent security deposits.

“Our members are owed money in all these categories from the 2022 Hajj to date by the commission. NAHCON confirmed in a meeting with us that they received the sum of 20,000,000 Saudi Riyals  as such a refund from the Saudi authorities since December last year. However, they have yet to formally notify us, let alone agree on the modalities for the refund payment. What stopped them from calling the tour operators since December 2023 to claim their money? They have remained silent.

“During the last Hajj operation, NAHCON received and warehoused over N2.7bn as a caution deposit from our members. By our agreement with the commission, these funds were to be released two weeks after the conclusion of the Hajj. NAHCON has refused to refund any of the companies that applied for it; instead, they are asking for more money as an increase to last year’s deposit,” the AHUON President stated.

Meanwhile, the association stated that while it hoped the commission would engage in discussions with tour operators to resolve the issue of refunds, “all options are on the table,” including taking legal action against NAHCON and involving anti-corruption agencies.

“We have not yet involved any anti-corruption agencies, but all the options are on the table because nobody is above the law,” said the Deputy President of Umrah, Abdulaziz Mohammed .