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  Africcon Report: Ogun promises pilgrims hitch-free Hajj
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  Ogun State Government has assured intending pilgrims from the state that they will not be affected by the issue of Maharam (Male partner) while performing this year’s Hajj.
  
  The government said measures had been perfected to ensure that all female pilgrims were accompanied by relatives.
  
  It added that the need to swiftly nip in the bud any issue that might arise prompted the early conduct of the screening for Hajj 2013 intending pilgrims, saying the move would also contain the unpleasant incident that reared its ugly head during the last Hajj.
  
  The Chairman of the state Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, Dr. Isiaq Yusuf, said this during the commencement of a five-day screening organised for the pilgrims from the state at the Governor’s Office, Abeokuta.
  
  Speaking on his behalf, a member of the board, Alhaji Abidoye Amosun, said 1,550 slots were released to the state out of over 2000 it requested from the National Hajj Commission, Abuja.
  
  Amosun said the exercise was to fish out  practising Muslims from the congregation, as non-Muslims were not eligible to perform the holy pilgrimage.
  
  He added that the pilgrims were expected to face a 14-member religious committee, Immigration and state security 0fficials.
  
  He said, “All intending pilgrims must be versatile religiously as they must be able to recite some verses from the Holy Quran and perform five times daily prayers. The era of allowing non-Muslims on the entourage of the state is over.
  
  “The issue of women without a guardian has been spelt out by Saudi Arabian immigration officials and we have taken serious measures to abide by those rules by ensuring all women who are to perform the 2013 Hajj exercise are with a relative or guardian.”
  
  He said government would not relent in its efforts at providing adequate welfare for pilgrims from the state, pledging to retain its enviable position it occupied during previous Hajj exercises.