As preparations heighten for the peak days of Hajj, the Saudi authorities have issued new operational guidelines governing the movement of pilgrims from Makkah to the sacred sites of Masha’ir—Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.
Dr. Aliyu Tanko, a former head of Taradudiya in NAHCON and now a consultant to one of the service providers in an official briefing, outlined the protocols aimed at ensuring safe, timely, and coordinated transportation of pilgrims during the critical rites.
He emphasized that pilgrims must strictly adhere to the scheduled movement times as assigned by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Any deviation, he warned, could result in severe logistical setbacks or safety risks.
“All state pilgrims boards, tour operators, and mission officials must work in line with the new directives to avoid congestion and delays,” Dr. Tanko said, adding that officials must ensure compliance among transport providers and pilgrims alike.
The new framework also includes route demarcations, checkpoint coordination, and increased surveillance to streamline access to Masha’ir zones.
Dr. Tanko further urged Nigerian officials to sensitise pilgrims early and continuously, stressing that failure to comply could lead to penalties or denial of access to key Hajj rituals.
Also, the head of Taradhudhiya in NAHCON, Mallam Ishaq Jae, during his presentation at the pre-Arafat meeting said, “The first of the guidelines is that when pilgrims arrive Muzdalifah after Arafat, everyone must wait to be conveyed in buses back to Minna. No one is allowed to move directly to the Jamaraat on the 10th of Dhul Hajj.
He said “Nigeria is divided amongst field offices that contain about 4,000 pilgrims. Each field office will liaise with the States or Tour Operator companies under it to divide its pilgrims into batches of 180 pilgrims (4 buses).
Each of these groups will have a guide from the Field Office and an Assistant from the officials or pilgrims who understands Arabic and the pilgrims’ local language that will lead the batch at their appointed time from their tents in Minna, through their approved route to the Jamaraat and back to their tents.
Each group guide will hold a signpost containing three (3) fundamental pieces of information that every official and pilgrim should understand. The first (1st) and topmost is the logo of the Mutawwif Company; The Second (2nd) is the Field Office Number boldly written in red and the third (3rd) is the batch number.
Depart camps at the stipulated time assigned for each group, follow the leader and stick only to the designated approved Routes. No pilgrim or group of pilgrims should go to the Jamaraat alone or in groups other than the approved Field office groups.
Maintain the composition of 180 pilgrims per batch, with an assistant who understands the language of the pilgrims in the batch.
Under no circumstances should a batch stop during the journey, even if any individual faces an issue. Only the affected pilgrim and one supporter should be left behind.
The measures, he said, are part of broader efforts by the Saudi authorities to enhance safety, improve crowd control, and prevent past incidents of stampedes and disorganization.
With less than 24 hours to the Hajj peak, the Nigerian Hajj mission has begun integrating the new movement protocols into its operations.
