The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has reaffirmed the restriction of pregnant women and elderly persons from performing the 2024 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Nigeria recorded about 75 pregnant women who traveled to Saudi Arabia for last year’s hajj after bypassing the statutory recommendations, which ended with medical complications occasioned by weather intensity.
NAHCON Chairman, Jalal Ahmad Arabi, who disclosed the restriction notice on Wednesday insisted the authorities will no longer condone flagrant disregard of existing medical rules.
He appealed to pregnant women who have made up their minds to perform this year’s pilgrimage to shelve the intention for the sake of their safety and that of unborn babies.
Arabi also warned against funding elderly persons who may struggle to withstand the rigor of hajj rites.
Arabi reminded that besides the frantic efforts to control abuse of the extant laws, he stressed that Saudi authorities have equally threatened to sanction Nigeria should the pregnant restriction be breached.
The NAHCON boss who spoke in a live radio program (Freedom Radio Kaduna) emphasized that sustaining the enforcement this year will be compelled even when the law prohibiting pregnant women had been in place.
“We will not allow any woman with pregnancy, no matter how small it is to travel. This law has been there for a long time. Even though some pilgrims breached it in the past, this time around, we will make sure pregnant women never travel,” Arabi said. “The Saudi authorities have also warned us against allowing pregnant women to travel. In fact, they threatened to fine us if we go against the law.”
Meanwhile, the first batch of intending pilgrims will depart Nigeria for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 15th May 2024, from Kebbi state. Over 65,500 pilgrims from Nigeria will join Muslims globally to perform the spiritual exercise.
