No Nigerian intending pilgrim will miss 2025 Hajj, Shettima assures

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians, particularly the Muslim community, that no intending Nigerian pilgrim will miss the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage and that the exercise will be hitch-free.

He has therefore directed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to take all necessary measures to ensure a smooth and unhindered pilgrimage for all intending pilgrims.

This directive followed a meeting the Vice President held with the management and board of the Commission at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

Shettima convened the meeting in response to reports that a contractual dispute with the Saudi service provider, Mashariq Al-Dhahabiah, could potentially lead to visa denials for Nigerian pilgrims.

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“We will not allow any intending Nigerian pilgrim to miss the 2025 Hajj. The pilgrimage will be seamless, and every challenge will be addressed promptly,” Shettima assured.

The Vice President issued firm instructions to NAHCON’s leadership, urging them to take all necessary steps to protect the interests of Nigerian pilgrims. “NAHCON must do whatever it takes to guarantee the full participation of our pilgrims without any hindrance. From now on, we must set the right standards, move in the right direction, and ensure a hitch-free Hajj exercise,” he emphasized.

Addressing concerns about the purported contract cancellation with the Saudi-based company, NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Saleh Usman, reassured Nigerians that the issue would not affect the pilgrimage.

“There is no cause for alarm. No single registered pilgrim will be left behind,” Usman declared.

He also dismissed allegations from the Forum of States’ Pilgrim Welfare Agencies that the contract dispute could derail the pilgrimage.