(Tunde Omolehin, SOKOTO)

The Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA) is to refund the sum of N159 million to pilgrims who performed the 2015 Hajj.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Media Assistant to the agency, Faruku Umar, issued to Journalists in Sokoto on Sunday.

The statement quoted the agency’s Director-General, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar as saying that the refund would be done in three categories.

It said: “The first category will be for those who performed the 2015 hajj while the second is for those who died in the Minna stampede.

“The third category is for those who paid for the hajj and could not perform the 2015 hajj,” it added.

The statement added that the refund was for some services not rendered during the hajj at Holy land like feeding, tent deposits and other services for those who performed the hajj.

They also include refund for return ticket, feeding and tent deposit for those who died in the hajj stampede.

The statement added, ” those who paid and did not perform the 2015 hajj have the option of collecting their fares or hajj seat for the 2016 hajj.

“The agency will come up with modalities for the refund,” the statement further quoted Umar as adding.