By Bala Dauda, Damaturu
Gov Mai Mala Buni of Yobe says none of the state’s pilgrims illegally remained in Saudi Arabia and refused to return home after completing the 2026 hajj exercise.
Buni made this known when the National Hajj Commission’s (NAHCON) Sensitisation Committee paid him a courtesy visit in Damaturu.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Idi Gubana, also expressed his happiness that the state was the first in the North East to conclude transporting it pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria after the hajj exercise.
He attributed the success to effective planning, discipline and cooperation by the state government, state Hajj Commission, religious leaders and the pilgrims.
Buni pledged to comply with the newly introduced NAHCON guidelines for 2027 hajj, especially the completion of payment of transportation fare and registration of intending pilgrims before the September 26, 2026, deadline.
The governor appealed to the officials to continue to provide the necessary guidance, support and advocacy to pilgrims, particularly those from the North East.
He noted that the region had unique challenges, requiring urgent support and highest possible standard of services.
Buni commended the commission for introducing several sweeping reforms, which made hajj more effective and worthwhile.
In his remarks, the Committee’s Chairman and NAHCOM Commissioner Representing North East, Alhaji Abba Jato, said the committee was in the state to sensitise stakeholders on the new hajj policy introduced by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
He said the Saudis were migrating from government to government management of hajj, pushing toward a private tour operator’s model called B2B.
“ Initially, they demanded that 98 percent of Nigeria’s quota be shifted to this model immediately. However, NAHCON pushed back. We argued that such a sudden move will disrupt our financial system and make hajj to expensive to average Nigerian pilgrim.
“ Through intense negotiations, we secured a critical concession : Only 30 percent of our quota will move to the new model in 2027, and we have bought ourselves three years transition window,” Jato said.
The chairman said Saudi government had warned that the deadline for uploading all pilgrims registration data remained September 26, and no extension would be granted.
He said presentation of health fitness certification was mandatory, adding that intending pilgrims with major organ failure, severe neurological/psychiatric condition, pregnancy or active infection diseases were prohibited from the hajj.
“ Furthermore, visa issuance for office members is conditional upon completing mandatory training track and obtaining the professional qualification on or before 28th January,2027. Medical personnel ratio for 2027 hajj will be minimum of 1.5 doctors and 1.7 nurses per 1000 pilgrims.
“ We are therefore respectfully requesting Your Excellency’s intervention to direct the state pilgrims ‘commission and all relevant stakeholders to accord the highest priority to pilgrims registration, documentation and payment processes.We must beat this deadline, or we risk losing our state’s allocation slots,” Jato said.