Connect with us

General

Lagos to Refund N141,000 to Hajj Pilgrims

Published

on

By Dipo Olowookere

The Lagos State government has announced its intention to refund the sum of N141,000 to each of pilgrims going for the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia from the state.

A statement issued by the state government yesterday disclosed that the refund was in line with the recommendation of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCOM), the agency in charge of pilgrimage to Mecca in Nigeria.

It was stated that the development followed the review of the cost of the pilgrimage by the commission, which led to the reduction of the fare already paid by the pilgrims across the nation.

The news of the refund was disclosed on Wednesday by Amir of Lagos Hajj delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr Abdul-Lateef Abdul-Hakeem, during the orientation organised for pilgrims in the state by NAHCOM.

“We usually make intending pilgrims pay deposit of the total fare. So, whenever the National Hajj Commission prescribes the Hajj fare, we always ask pilgrims to pay more. But this time around, what they paid was far above what they should pay.

“We have to refund the money to the pilgrims. It is their money and we have no right to appropriate their money,” he said.

Refunding the pilgrims of the excess, Mr Abdul-Hakeem said this shows that the government of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has zero tolerance for corruption adding that Lagos would be paying back an amount far above what other state would refund, because Lagos pilgrims paid more than their counterparts in other states.

The Amir promised that Lagos would sustain its excellent record in Hajj exercise, stressing that the welfare of the pilgrims would be safeguarded throughout the journey.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

General

NURTW Crisis: Police Arraign Baruwa After ‘Coup’ Against MC Oluomo

Published

on

tajudeen baruwa

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The attempt by Mr Tajudeen Baruwa to forcefully overthrow Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, otherwise known as MC Oluomo, as the chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has landed him in trouble.

The factional chairman of the group was arrested by the police in Abuja on Monday after he led other members to the headquarters of NURTW to dislodge his opponent.

Mr Baruwa claimed that he won a case against MC Oluomo at the court, empowering him to take over the leadership of the union.

The action triggered pandemonium at the secretariat of the organisation yesterday, prompting officials of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to pick him up.

The police have arraigned him alongside the factional General Secretary, Mr Sulaiman Musa, and five others in connection with the incident.

They were charged at Magistrate Court 1, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, by the police for disrupting public peace, though normalcy has since been restored to the area.

Continue Reading

General

Empowering Women Goes Beyond Celebrating IWD, Others—Interswitch HR

Published

on

Interswitch HR Franklin Ali

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Group Chief Human Resource Officer of Interswitch, Mr Franklin Ali, has highlighted the importance of creating deliberate opportunities that support women’s professional growth.

Speaking at a virtual session organised by the company to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 under the theme Give to Gain, he noted that, “At Interswitch, we believe empowering women goes beyond celebrating milestones like International Women’s Day. It requires creating meaningful platforms where women can learn, share experiences, and gain the visibility needed to grow as leaders. Through initiatives like Give to Gain, we encourage our women to recognise the value they bring and confidently amplify their impact within the organisation and beyond.”

At the event, which also featured the Deputy Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited, Ms Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, the leading African technology company reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women across its workforce and fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

In her presentation, which focused on Give to Gain – Give Value, Gain Visibility, Ms Dayo-Olagunju emphasised the importance of intentional value creation and visibility in shaping professional growth for women in the workplace.

Drawing from her experience in the financial services sector, she also shared perspectives on how women can intentionally position themselves for greater impact, build influence within their organisations, and translate consistent value delivery into meaningful professional growth.

It was gathered that Interswitch distributed customised care packages to female employees across its offices. The gesture served as a token of appreciation for the resilience, dedication, and excellence demonstrated daily by women across the organisation.

Beyond the session and care packages, Interswitch continues to support women across its workforce through a range of internal policies to promote well-being and work-life balance. These include access to top-notch creche facilities, a robust maternity leave policy, and an exclusive spousal allowance initiative, all of which reinforce the company’s broader commitment to creating a supportive environment where women can thrive both professionally and personally.

This year’s International Women’s Day initiative reflects Interswitch’s recognition of the vital role women play in shaping the company’s continued growth and success. Across technology, operations, product development, finance, and leadership, women within the organisation continue to drive innovation and strengthen service delivery.

Continue Reading

General

Eight Die as Terrorists Blow up Niger Bridge

Published

on

bomb niger bridge

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A bridge connecting the Luma-Babana-Agwara communities in Niger State was destroyed by terrorists on Monday. The incident claimed the lives of eight people.

The bridge is a vital route used by residents travelling to the Babanna border market, which operates every Monday.

According to reports, the hoodlums used an improvised explosive device (IED) to bring down the facility located along Luma Road in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Chairman of Borgu Local Government, Mr Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, who confirmed the attack, noted that authorities were working to verify the full extent of the damage.

“There was actually an attack by the bandits, and we are trying to verify the magnitude. A bridge was actually damaged. Already, we have sent people to the area to verify things for us,” Vanguard quoted him as saying.

It also quoted a source as saying, “In the early hours today, bandits stormed Borgu local government area of the state and bombed the Lunma-Babana bridge. Apart from bombing the bridge, the bandits also detonated bombs between Rafingiwa and Babana, and another at Woro and Kaiama, forcing residents to flee the area.”

Continue Reading

Trending