The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has banned Family Travels and Tours from participating in Hajj and Umrah activities in Nigeria.

The company was sanctioned for aiding the overstay of 96 of its pilgrims in Saudi Arabia during the 2017 Hajj in contravention of NAHCON’s regulation governing Hajj and Umrah operations.

A statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Fatima M. Mustapha, Head of Media, also clarified on the number of pilgrims reported to have absconded/overstayed during the 2017 Hajj exercise.

It said: “We hereby, state that only Five Pilgrims as against the reported 900 actually absconded during the exercise.

“The five pilgrims were each from, Gombe, Zamfara, Plateau and Jigawa (1).

“Meanwhile, the Commission will like to advise State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions to create awareness and intensify their enlightenment programs for the “would-be” guarantors to make sure that they stand surety for only genuine Pilgrims as the Commission would henceforth begin to enforce and prosecute any surety whose Ward/Guardian/Pilgrims fail to return home after the Hajj and Umrah exercise.”

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