BAUCHI State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has described as insane, the looting of public treasury through the execution of Hajj just as he stressed that it is one of the worst ways of desecrating the name of Islam by Muslims, people entrusted with managing the conduct of one of the five pillars of Islam. According to a press statement issued by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Al-Sadique, Governor Abubakar who made the statement while receiving the 2017 reports on the 2017 Hajj, described as worrisome the level of desperation for materialism and wealth accumulation for personal use that makes some people to steal using one of the sacred pillars of Islam. Governor Abubakar tasked the team that leaves for Saudi Arabia in preparation of the 2018 Hajj exercise to eliminate the subsidy on the pilgrimage and maintain the accommodation at lower cost than what was paid in the preceding year. The 2017 Amirul Hajj who is also the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Rt Honorable Kawuwa Shehu Damina who announced the return of 71,000 Saudi Riyals to government treasury as unspent funds, said the 2017 Hajj operation was successful, with over 3000 pilgrims from the state performing the Hajj. The Speaker applauded the Governor for the renovation of the Hajj camp in Bauchi and the Pilgrims Welfare Board and urged the State to commence preparation for the 2018 Hajj exercise in earnest as the National Hajj Commission had already release guidelines for the exercise.

Source: Nigerian Tribune January 02, 2018 16:30 UTC