A delegation of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has visited the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), requesting the agency to monitor the Nigerian Saudi Arabian route during the coming pilgrimage
The delegation which was led by NAFCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, was at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday and expressed concerned over the Nigerian-Saudi Arabian route since the kingdom is one of the precincts where the Commission’s major obligations are discharged.
Hassan said it had been a tradition of the Commission to partner with the drug war agency in Nigeria in sensitizing pilgrims to the danger in trafficking drugs into Saudi Arabia which penalty is death when caught.
According to him, “now that the Hajj season is approaching, NAHCON finds it expedient to urge NDLEA to intensify monitoring and fortifying luggage of passengers to Saudi Arabia and to double-check them physically while departing to the holy city.
“By this request, NAHCON intends to leave no stone unturned in its desire to ensure that few miscreants do not cost the Nigerian Muslim citizenry their right for legitimate travel into the Kingdom for Hajj or Umrah. He described the situation as “disturbing that even innocent people were implicated in the drug trafficking saga”.
The NDLEA boss, Brig. Gen Marwa in his response, agreed with his NAHCON counterpart that indeed the illicit drug menace in Nigeria was ugly. He decried the situation as worse since those who are supposed to apprehend the criminal trades are also found complicit in it.
Buba Marwa was delighted that NAHCON was taking the war seriously. He assured the Hajj Commission of the agency’s readiness to strengthen the partnership and work with NAHCON both in Nigeria and offshore in Saudi Arabia.
Other members of the NAHCON delegation included Alhaji Magaji Hardawa, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operation as well as NAHCON’s Secretary to the Commission, Dr Rabi’u Abdullahi Kontagora and others.