Yobe records zero pilgrim abscondment in 2026 Hajj – Buni

File: Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni.

Yobe State recorded no cases of pilgrims absconding in Saudi Arabia after the 2026 Hajj, Governor Mai Mala Buni has said.

Buni disclosed this on Thursday when the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria Sensitisation Committee paid him a courtesy visit in Damaturu.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Gubana, also said Yobe was the first state in the North-East to complete the transportation of its pilgrims from Saudi Arabia back to Nigeria after the pilgrimage.

He attributed the development to effective planning, discipline and cooperation among the state government, the state Hajj Commission, religious leaders and pilgrims.

Buni pledged that the state would comply with the new guidelines introduced by NAHCON for the 2027 Hajj, particularly the requirement to complete payment of transportation fares and registration of intending pilgrims before the September 26 deadline.

He also appealed to the commission to continue providing guidance, support and advocacy to pilgrims, particularly those from the North-East.

The governor said the region faced unique challenges that required urgent support and the highest possible standard of Hajj services.

Buni commended NAHCON for what he described as reforms that had improved the Hajj process.

The Chairman of the sensitisation committee and NAHCON Commissioner representing the North-East, Abba Jato, said the committee visited Yobe to sensitise stakeholders on the new Hajj policy introduced by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Jato said Saudi Arabia was moving from a government-to-government model of Hajj management towards a private tour operator model known as Business-to-Business.

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He said Saudi authorities initially demanded that 98 per cent of Nigeria’s Hajj quota be moved to the new model immediately.

“Initially, they demanded that 98 per cent 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 too 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.

Jato said the Saudi government had fixed September 26 as the deadline for uploading pilgrims’ registration data, adding that no extension would be granted.

He also said health fitness certification would be mandatory, while intending pilgrims with major organ failure, severe neurological or psychiatric conditions, pregnancy or active infectious diseases would not be allowed to undertake the Hajj.

Jato added that visa issuance for Hajj officials would depend on completing mandatory training and obtaining professional qualification by January 28, 2027.

He said the medical personnel ratio for the 2027 Hajj would be a minimum of 1.5 doctors and 1.7 nurses per 1,000 pilgrims.

“We must beat this deadline, or we risk losing our state’s allocation slots,” Jato said.