The Oyo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has set June 8 as deadline for payment, registration and submission of international passports for all intending pilgrims in the state.
The Chairman of the board, Alhaji Taofeek Akewugbagold, disclosed this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.
Akewugbagold appealed to those yet to complete payment to pay up or lose out in the list of intending pilgrims.
The board chairman stated that 80 per cent of the 1, 362 seats allocated for intending pilgrims in the state had been paid for.
“Although the seats allocated by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCO) to Oyo State are not enough, NAHCO has assured us of more seats based on the letters we wrote.
“However, intending pilgrims who are yet to pay have an opportunity to pay before or on June 8 which is the deadline,” he said.
According to him, the fare for the hajj is still N1 million for pilgrims.
“If there will be any increment, NAHCO will issue such a directive,” he said.
He, however, said that the board had completed screening for intending pilgrims in the state.
“We have also secured accommodation for our people close to Arafat to reduce the hardship of pilgrims trekking long distances before getting to there,” he said.
Oyo state, he said, was adjudged one of the best by NAHCO during the 2016 hajj exercise.
He then assured intending pilgrims of building on the successes recorded in 2016. (NAN)