Senate has mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs to investigate the circumstances surrounding the extortion going on in the Hajj pilgrimage mission.

The Upper Chamber equally resolved that the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) should, as a matter of urgency, review the 2017 fare and setup an Ad-Hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fare.

This followed a point of order raised by Senator Ibrahim Danbaba who cited order 42 and 52.

Danbaba noted that about N1,555,000 was being extorted from each pilgrim, adding that people pay for unnecessary charges against the normal levy.

Senator Jibrin Barau, in his contribution, maintained that many connived with people in Saudi Arabia in charge of accommodation, saying: “We are talking of exploitation not appropriation.”