The Edo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has appealed to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for an extension of the hajj fare payment deadline to allow more intending pilgrims to pay.

Speaking with Daily Trust, the board’s chairman, Mallam Musah Muhammad Uduimoh, explained that the extension would accommodate those who still wish to participate in the pilgrimage.

 “The deadline for the N8,705,590 hajj fare payment was February 14, but we are pleading with NAHCON chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, to grant us an extension because we didn’t start on time like other states,” he said.

He attributed the delay to the fact that the new board has been in office for less than two months, unlike other states that started preparations earlier.

While he did not disclose the exact number of registered pilgrims, Uduimoh assured that many had made full or partial payments, and the board was making progress.

To boost participation, he said the board has been moving across Muslim communities in the state to sensitise and create awareness about the hajj operations.