Federal Government to sponsor Buhari's senior driver to 2017 Hajj

The federal government has announced plans to honour a driver to President Muhammadu Buhari

- The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said it will reward Saidu Afaka for returning items he recovered during the 2016 Hajj in Saudi Arabia

- Afaka who is a Kaduna state indigene is a staff sergeant in the Nigeria army and a senior driver to President Buhari

The federal government has announced plans to honour a driver to President Muhammadu Buhari.

On Tuesday, February 14, in Abuja, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said it will reward Saidu Afaka for returning items he recovered during the 2016 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Afaka, a Kaduna state indigene, is a staff sergeant in the Nigeria army and a senior driver to President Buhari.

News agency of Nigeria reports that the executive chairman of NAHCON Abdullahi Mahammad while presenting the items to the secretary of the Niger Pilgrims Welfare Shehu Barwa said deserves commendation for his action.

Muhammad said Barwa will convey the recovered items to the owner Adamu Umar.

He said among items recovered include a bag containing $400, N60,370 and 149 Saudi Riyals and a cell phone belonging to Adamu Umar, a Niger State pilgrim.

Muhammad said Afaka found the wallet or purse and took it to the NAHCON office in Makkah.

“And I directed the Audit Department to keep and trace the owner, and from our records it showed that the owner is Umar Adamu, a pilgrim with passport Number A07432103 from Niger.

“It is my pleasure to handover the content of this lost and found item to the Executive Secretary, Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board for onward conveyance to the owner,” Muhammad said.

He added that the commission would also award a 2017 Hajj slot to Afaka for his sincerity.

“The commission will reward the pilgrim, who is a true Nigeria accordingly, and we will make sure he also join us in performing the 2017 hajj,” he said.

Muhammad further urged other faithfuls to emulate Afaka's sincerity and faithfulness which he described as a mark of a true Muslim.