The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has urged Muslims going on holy pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia to obey all the rules and regulations set down by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during their pilgrimage.
Hamzat made the call on Sunday during a one-day seminar for the 2023 intending Hajj pilgrims organised by the Lagos State Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board and held at Agidingbi, Ikeja.
He said, “Last year, 384 people out of those who went on Hajj were detained in Saudi Arabia due to various criminal offences. This is why we advise intending pilgrims to follow all the laid down rules and regulations of the Hajj, eschew drug trafficking and those who have more than 60,000 riyals with them should ensure that they declare it to avoid arrests.
“This seminar would prepare intending pilgrims on proper etiquettes. What we are going there to do is not a joke; we need to pray for our country and also our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, so that Nigeria will prosper during his administration.”
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the LSMPWB, Shakiru Abdul-Gafar, said, “Hajj, as we all know, is a demonstration of our submission to Allah and we organised today’s event to empower you with all the necessary information from various agencies of the Federal Government so as not to run afoul of both Nigerian and Saudi laws.”
In his lecture, a professor of Arabic Studies at the Lagos State University, Qudus Amuni, advised intending pilgrims to focus on the spiritual purpose of pilgrimage sites such as Medina, Badr, Uhud, among others.
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