National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the distribution of the 2023 Hajj allocations to the states pilgrims' welfare boards, commissions, Federal Capital Territory and the armed forces.

The assistant director of information and publications of the commission, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, disclosed this in a statement, weekend, in Abuja.

He said the decision was reached at the end of the executive committee meeting of the commission that ratified the allocations.

Kaduna, Kano and Sokoto states have the highest allocations of 5982, 5,902 and 5,504 Hajj seats respectively while Imo, Bayelsa and Anambra have the lowest allocations of 30, 35 and 39 respectively according to the figures released by Ubandawaki.

Ubandawaki also listed the seats allocated to other states as follows: Abia 53; Adamawa 2,669; Bauchi, 3, 132; Benue 236; Borno 2,735; Cross Rivers 66; Delta 74; Nasarawa 1,567; Niger 5,165; Ogun 1,139; Ondo 436; Osun 1,054; Oyo 1,441; Yobe 1,968; Ebonyi 117; Edo 274; Ekiti 197; Enugu 40; FCT 3,520 and Gombe, 2,301

Others are Jigawa 1,525; Katsina 4,913; Kebbi 4, 871; Kwara 3,219; Lagos 3,576; Plateau 1,984; Rivers 50; Taraba 1,590 and Zamfara 3,083, while the Armed Forces got 543.

The statement added that Kogi State's allocation would be released after the conclusion of the ongoing review of its activities while the allocation for Akwa Ibom was suspended due to non-renewal of its operating licence.

He added that all the states are expected to remit payment of 50% of the 2022 seat allocation to the commission before the 10th of February deadline, saying any state that failed to comply with the deadline would suffer reduction in allocation to such state.