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« FG declares Jan 10, 11 public holidays | Main | Hajj Tragedy: Collapsed building kills 15 in Mecca; Saudi grants extension for Nigerian pilgrims »

January 06, 2006

Nigerians 'missed' Hajj deadline

Stranded Muslims across Nigeria have been told that Saudi Arabia has closed its airport to pilgrims trying to reach this year's Hajj.

A BBC correspondent in Kano said people had been told to get off their planes.

Kano's state governor told the angry pilgrims from his northern state that they must accept "the will of Allah".

Nigeria's president had ordered the national carrier to divert its flights to help the pilgrims after securing an extension to Wednesday's deadline.

But the extra 36 hours have now expired as well.

Promise

Saudi authorities have said they will fine airlines $50,000 for every plane carrying Hajj pilgrims that arrives after the deadline.

The BBC's Ado Saleh Kankiya at Kano airport says thousands of Muslims from northern Katsina, Bauchi and Jigawa are still hoping that their state authorities - which organise the travel arrangements to the Hajj - will pay these fines.

People at the Port Harcourt airport in the south have also been told by officials to go home and make the pilgrimage next year instead.

In a long address to angry pilgrims from Kano, Governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau said the fine would not be paid by Kano State and asked them to accept the disappointment, our correspondent says.

He promised them that they would be among the first to go to the Hajj next year and said that next year better plans would be put in place.

Every year about 2m Muslims converge on Mecca - the holiest place in Islam - for the Hajj.

Every adult Muslim is supposed to undertake the Hajj at least once in their life if they can afford it and are physically able.

Posted by Publisher at January 6, 2006 02:08 PM

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