MINA, Saudi Arabia — The Amirul Hajj and leader of the Katsina State Hajj Delegation, Barrister Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq, has called for improvements in facilities and services at Mina, particularly in the areas of healthcare, sanitation, transportation, and feeding for pilgrims participating in the 2026 Hajj exercise.
El-Marzuq made the appeal during a working visit by a delegation from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by the Commissioner for Planning, Research, Transportation and Logistics, Prof. Abubakar Abubakar Yagawal, to the Katsina State contingent on May 28, 2026.
The visit was aimed at obtaining firsthand feedback from pilgrims and officials to enable the commission improve service delivery and address challenges encountered during the pilgrimage.
Welcoming the NAHCON team, the Amirul Hajj expressed appreciation for the visit and commended the commission for creating an avenue for direct engagement with pilgrims and state officials.
He, however, highlighted a number of challenges requiring attention, including the need for improved hospital facilities, expansion of toilet facilities, enhancement of transportation arrangements, and improvements in both the quantity and quality of meals provided to pilgrims.
Responding, Prof. Yagawal acknowledged the concerns raised and explained that while medical services fall within NAHCON’s responsibility, the commission had been constrained by the limited space allocated by Saudi authorities for hospital operations during the Hajj season.
He added that some other issues, particularly those relating to sanitation facilities, are under the jurisdiction of service providers and authorities responsible for managing facilities at the holy sites.
The commissioner assured the Katsina delegation that all complaints and observations would be documented and forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, while matters within NAHCON’s direct mandate would receive due attention.
The Executive Director of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Yunusa Abdullahi Dankama, also addressed the gathering and encouraged pilgrims to freely raise concerns affecting their welfare.
Dankama used the occasion to inform the visiting NAHCON officials of interventions undertaken by Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, to support pilgrims during the Hajj exercise.
According to him, the governor approved the payment of Hadaya for all Katsina pilgrims and also provided a Sallah gift of 300 Saudi Riyals to each pilgrim.
He further disclosed that Governor Radda had earlier approved a loan facility of over ₦3 billion to enable Katsina State meet NAHCON’s payment deadline for intending pilgrims who had commenced payments for the 2026 Hajj. The Pilgrims Welfare Board later recovered the funds from the affected pilgrims and refunded the government, thereby preserving the state’s Hajj allocation.
During the interaction, several pilgrims raised concerns over the design of the Nusuk card, noting that it does not clearly indicate a pilgrim’s state or country of origin. They argued that including such information would facilitate the identification and assistance of lost pilgrims.
The concern was echoed by the Director of Operations of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Dr. Nasir Ɗan-Zaria, who urged relevant authorities to consider incorporating state and country identification details on future versions of the card.
Prof. Yagawal welcomed the suggestions and requested that any additional complaints or recommendations not raised during the meeting be submitted in writing for further consideration.
The visit formed part of NAHCON’s ongoing efforts to assess conditions at the holy sites and strengthen service delivery to Nigerian pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj exercise.
