Kano State Government officials have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the treatment of pilgrims during the ongoing Hajj exercise, insisting that poor services have undermined confidence in pilgrimage management. Concerns include inadequate meals, failure of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to fulfill promises regarding Nusuk cards, flight rescheduling, and delayed conveyance of Kano pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah.
Emir of Karaye Raises Flight Concerns
While receiving NAHCON officials in Mina, the Emir of Karaye, His Royal Highness Alhaji Mohammad Mahraz, who also serves as Deputy Amirul Hajj, highlighted flight rescheduling issues that led to late airlift of Kano pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. He regretted the hurried movement to Makkah despite late arrival in Madinah, leaving hundreds with barely two days for spiritual activities. The monarch urged NAHCON to ensure proper planning of return flights to reduce post-Hajj stay in Saudi Arabia and preserve Nigeria's reputation.
Nusuk Card Distribution Failures
Director-General of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim Matawalle, stated that many pilgrims did not receive Nusuk cards in Madinah, contrary to NAHCON's assurances. He recounted how Kano contingents spent an extra four hours on buses in Makkah waiting for permission to alight. “The experiences were unpleasant because what we were offered fell short of expectations. NAHCON told us that Nusuk cards would be issued immediately upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, but that did not happen. Instead, the cards were distributed when pilgrims were about to depart Madinah, yet some still did not receive theirs. Up till this moment, many are yet to get their Nusuk cards. I have personally identified more than 30 people without the cards. Before submitting a formal complaint, I want NAHCON to urgently take action to correct these anomalies. Situations like this create a lack of confidence if they continue to happen,” Matawalle said.
Poor Quality Meals Decried
Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Yusuf Lawan, also criticized the poor quality of meals provided by the Saudi service company. “Just like last year, our major complaint remains the poor provision of food to pilgrims, and we expected that this issue would have been corrected by now. In Arafat, food was served only once, while snacks were later provided. We are beginning to wonder whether there is something we have not paid for,” Lawan said.
NAHCON Acknowledges Complaints
Responding, NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Information and Library Services, Professor Abubakar Abubakar Yagawal, acknowledged the complaints and pledged to present them before the management for necessary action. The concerns came less than 24 hours after NAHCON rejected supplies from one of the Saudi service providers over failure to meet health and safety standards.
