By Ibrahim Muhammed
National Coordinator
Independent Hajj Reporters
Misfala, Makkah Saudi Arabia
“O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do”. (4:135)
As the leader of the Civil Society Organisation that has monitored and reported Hajj activities in the last 15 years, the reason for this intervention is to correct the wrong impression being created to puncture a non-existent hole in the Hajj industry. This follow-up piece is not about defending the administration of Mallam Jalal Arabi but rather about presenting reasons why NAHCON as an Islamic institution deserve fair criticism. I wrote a two-part series when Orosanye Reports threatened the existence of NAHCON.
As pointed out by Niger State Governor, His Excellency Muhammad Umar Bago, there were challenges of service delivery to pilgrims that cannot be swept under the public carpet but not as being graded publicly. Without the support of some State Governors, the 2024 hajj operation could have run into a hitch. Their patriotic zeal made them provide financial rescue plans for their respective states’ pilgrims. May Almighty Allah reward them
Now, is the call for decentralization (whatever that means) of hajj centred on the issue of service delivery or simply put: Will decentralization (still don’t understand the meaning within the context of hajj administration) of Hajj give birth to efficient management of hajj and provision of adequate services in Nigeria and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? NAHCON facilitates pilgrims’ services in Madina while states are in full control in Makkah.
Decentralisation as being canvassed is simply asking NAHCON to hand off from the following pre-hajj operational activities and allows States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to be under the control of State Governors to take charge. However, I will personally lead a campaign to support this suggestion only if such actions will ensure a better service to Nigerian pilgrims but the record of the past shows’ the opposite
Furthermore, it is pertinent to borrow one or two paragraphs from the paper presented during the 2023 Independent Hajj Reporters hajj lecture and awards titled “Bad Habits, Excellent Changes: The unending search for seamless hajj operations in Nigeria” – to understand the failure of states that gave birth to NAHCON
“A summary of the trajectory of the experiences in hajj operations in the last fifty years portrays a grim picture of dissatisfaction with the overall performance of virtually all the stakeholders, including the pilgrims themselves. Extortion of pilgrims by middlemen in cahoots with administrators and travel agents forced the government under both military and civilian administrations to engage in all forms of intervention to rescue pilgrims during outbound or inbound evacuation exercises. It is on record that despite the 1975 Decree No. 16 which established the Nigerian Pilgrims Board and empowered it to organize pilgrimage, the problems and operational hiccups persisted and became as diverse as the states that created their respective pilgrims’ agencies. In 1978, for instance, the federal government had to cancel Nigerian Airways’ scheduled flights to deploy Nigerian Air Force planes to evacuate pilgrims to Jeddah. The 1989 Nigerian Pilgrims Act did not help matters either; so, business went as usual both at the state and federal levels.
The climax of operational hitches that nearly got for Nigeria the tag of ‘administrative laggard’ was the 2006 hajj when more than ten thousand pilgrims could not be evacuated to Saudi Arabia and 4 thousand of people got stranded at Jeddah airport during the return journey. This international act of shame and ineptitude on the part of the operators worn Nigeria the toga of a serial defaulter of all international travel agreements and protocols. A one-time Saudi Minister for Hajj, Hujjaj Baghini once sarcastically stated then that there were two ministries of hajj in his country: one for Nigeria, one for the rest of the world. This is the background of the legislative intervention that led to the enactment of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Establishment Act, 2006.
How can a Governor blame the death of two pilgrims on NAHCON when over 1300 pilgrims died during this year’s hajj? So, Saudi Arabia will allow each state to set up their kitchen in Saudi Arabia? Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health didn’t recognize State clinics but rather the Nigeria clinic. That is why NAHCON introduced a National Medical Team with 10 medical personnel from each state as a member. On the issue of BTA, IHR has been the proponent of criticizing the BTA but the government’s forex policy is to blame. For instance, While NAHCON used N1,252.01 per dollar to calculate hajj fare (BTA inclusive) to give $500 as BTA to each pilgrim, the CBN released BTA at N1,530.86 per dollar, which gives each pilgrim $415 instead of $500.
The roles and responsibilities of NAHCON in the selection of Airlines and Saudi-based Service providers conform with the NAHCON Establishment Act 2006.
For example, Functions of the commission as enumerated under section 4 of NAHCON Establishment Act 2006 stated: (1) The Commission shall- (a) license, regulate, supervise and perform oversight functions over organisations, associations (corporate or non-corporate) or similar bodies engaged in- (i) organising and coordinating the movement of persons from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj or Umra; and (ii) providing accommodation, transportation and other services related to the performance of the Hajj and Umra to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia; (b) liaise and co-ordinate with the appropriate government authorities or organs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the rules and regulations governing entry into and staying in Saudi Arabia for the purposes of Hajj and Umra including all appropriate immigration, passport and related consular services; (c) co-ordinate the provision of health, financial, security, customs, immigration and related services to persons proceeding to, or returning from, Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj or Umra; (d) ensure the establishment and management of pilgrims camps and related facilities, equipment and such other necessary materials; (e) establish and maintain an adequate information system and libraries of books and other relevant publications as well as cinematograph and other facilities for use by persons interested in or desirous of undertaking a pilgrimage, so however that the library shall be opened to the public upon and subject to any conditions the Commission may deem fit; (f) establish and maintain a biometric data bank of all Nigerian intending pilgrims for the Hajj and Umra; (g) conduct educative and enlightenment campaigns on Hajj and Umra, in all the States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory; (h) appoint such number of medical practitioners and medical staff as it deems fit.
