Muhammad Kabir, Makkah
The Amirul Hajj for Yobe state to this year’s Hajj, who is also the emir of Ngazargamu, Alhaji Tijjani Saleh Geidam has called on Nigerians to unite and be patriotic at all times.
He made the call on Monday when he received a visitation team from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on a visit to the state’s pilgrims tent in Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The emir said most of the problems being faced by Nigeria at the moment can be traced to religious and tribal bigotry, which, he said, if not tackled can destabilize the country.
“ You don’t need to call me a Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo why not by my names which would simply indicate that I am simply a Nigerian not a tribal person,” he said.
He said recourse to ethnicity and religious bigotry would only continue to inhibit Nigeria’s potential growth.
He, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to do all he can to solve the ethnic and religious problems facing the Country.
The Emir also called on the President to free Yobe State ”of all remnance of Boko Haram insurgents”.
Ambassador Yahya Shuaib representing the Presidency in Mecca, the Emir note with disturbs how because of religious and ethnicity jingoism Nigeria Nation continue to suffer under development and series of crises.
Leader of the visitation team, Ambassador Shuaibu Yahaya, speaking, said called on the pilgrims to be at their best behaviour as NAHCON gets set to begin airlift back home on August 17.
He said the return airlift exercise will be conducted the same way arrival to Saudi was done.
He said those who came earlier will return earlier, while those who came later will return later.
He urged them to be patient and await their turn.
The NAHCON team also visited Kano state tent where the team expressed satisfaction the with Food supplied to the pilgrims, the sanitary condition of the tent as well as Health delivery and the general well being of the Pilgrims.
The Executive Secretary Kano Pilgrims welfare Board, Muhammad Abba said they had not witnessed any serious challenge except the three persons who died as a result of various ailments.
Other States visited include Taraba, Kaduna and Osun.
The Chairman of the Taraba State Pilgrims Board, Alhaji Hamma Adama M. Tukur commended NAHCON for taking care of the pilgrims both in Madinah, Arafat, and Mina.
