CITY NEWS Hajj: FCT pilgrims board begins FCT natives plan protest over school of compulsory medical screening nursing admission
The FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has commenced a compulsory medical screening for intending pilgrims for this year’s hajj in Abuja.
A statement from the public relations officer of the board, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu, said all intending pilgrims must be screened at the permanent hajj camp, Bassan Jiwa, near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, before embarking on the spiritual journey.
The spokesman said the exercise was in line with the directives of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to screen intending pilgrims and ascertain their medical status before the journey.
He said intending pilgrims from Abaji and Kwali area councils were scheduled to be screened today, while those from Kuje and AMAC would be screened on Wednesday July 19, 2017.
Aliyu also explained that intending pilgrims from Bwari and Gwagwalada would have their screening exercise on Thursday July 20, 2017.
He stated that the exercise would be carried out at the permanent hajj camp and directed intending pilgrims to report to the venue with their evidence of payment on the stipulated dates for the medical screening.
The spokesperson warned intending pilgrims to participate in the exercise as failure to attend may warrant losing of hajj seat.
Meanwhile, the board is to conduct inoculation of the intending pilgrims from Friday July 21 with pilgrims from Gwagwalada, Kwali and Abaji area councils.
The spokesperson added that intending pilgrims from Kuje, Bwari and AMAC are to receive their vaccination on Saturday July 22, 2017 from 8:00a.m. at the permanent hajj camp.
He explained that the vaccination would enable the board secure Yellow Cards for the journey.
He added that intending pilgrims who did not submit their e-passport stand the risk of losing their seats as the board would soon complete its visa procurement from the Saudi Arabian embassy while airlift is due to commence in a few days time. Natives of the FCT under the Coalition of Abuja Indigenous Groups, say they have concluded plans to embark on a peaceful protest today over alleged ‘discrimination’ against them in admissions into the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Gwagwalada, FCT.
A statement issued by the group’s spokesman, Ahmadu Yunusa, said that the natives were embarking on the protest because indigenes who applied for admission into the school were discriminated against.
He said none of the 150 natives of the territory that applied for admission to the School of Nursing and Midwifery was admitted, claiming that five candidates offered admission were not natives of the FCT.
“We feel it is high time we rejected this injustice being meted on the indigenous people of the FCT, which is why the group has decided to embark on a peaceful protest,” he said.
The statement said the group had already written to the appropriate security agencies to intimate them of the planned protest.