The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has described a report in a national daily (not Tribune Titles) on demand by private operators for probe over an alleged diversion of 5,000 slots for next year’s Hajj as unfounded and unsubstantiated.
In a release, signed by NAHCON’s Head, Information and Publications Division, Shafii Sani Mohammed, the Hajj body noted that the report and a broader campaign of misinformation being propagated by a select group of licensed private tour operators regarding the allocation of Hajj 2027 slots are driven by vested commercial interests.
Shafii stated that the said report was built entirely on claims made by unnamed individuals described as “Concerned Private Travel Operators”, which left readers uninformed of who the operators were.
He added that rather than presenting evidence of wrongdoing, the allegation of purported diversion of the 5,000 slots appeared to have been designed to shift attention away from the inability of certain operators to comply with the strict regulatory requirements, timelines, and digital upload obligations established by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the 2027 Hajj exercise.
“The attention of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has been drawn to a report published by THISDAY Newspaper titled “Hajj 2027: Private Operators Demand Probe of Diverted 5,000 Slots,” as well as a broader campaign of misinformation being propagated by a select group of licensed private tour operators regarding the allocation of Hajj 2027 slots.
“While every stakeholder reserves the right to seek clarification on matters affecting the Hajj industry, it is important to separate verifiable facts from speculation, and legitimate concerns from narratives driven by vested commercial interests.
“The Commission is aware of a coordinated and diversionary campaign built around entirely unfounded allegations of ‘Hajj slot diversion’.
“Rather than presenting evidence of wrongdoing, the allegations appear designed to shift attention away from the inability of certain operators to comply with the strict regulatory requirements, timelines, and digital upload obligations established by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the 2027 Hajj exercise.
“It is noteworthy that the report itself is built almost entirely on claims made by unnamed individuals described as ‘Concerned Private Travel Operators’.
“Readers are not informed who these operators are, whether they are established stakeholders, unsuccessful applicants, competing companies, or parties whose commercial interests may have been affected by the current allocation framework. The anonymity of the accusers makes it impossible for the public to properly assess their credibility, standing, or motives,” the NAHCON official stated.
He declared that despite the sensational nature of the allegations, no evidence whatsoever was presented to establish that any illegality occurred.
According to him, “At no point has it been demonstrated that the allocation of the disputed 5,000 slots violated Saudi Arabian Hajj regulations, NAHCON guidelines, or any policy governing Hajj operations in Nigeria.
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“The concerns raised are largely framed around perceptions and commercial grievances rather than documented breaches of established rules or procedures.
“Indeed, the report itself acknowledges that NAHCON provided a clear explanation regarding the allocation process.
“The Commission clarified that Nigeria’s approved allocation for the 2027 Hajj is 50,000 slots, comprising 35,000 slots for the States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 15,000 slots for duly licensed private Hajj tour operators.
“The 15,000 private-sector slots were allocated to duly licensed tour operators operating under seven (7) approved lead companies, in accordance with applicable Nigerian regulatory requirements and the guidelines of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
NAHCON further clarified that the companies participating in the 2027 Hajj and Umrah operations are duly incorporated and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and other relevant government regulatory agencies as legally recognised entities.
The commission added that the companies have also undergone the applicable regulatory processes and it licensed them to operate as Hajj and Umrah tour operators for the 2027 season, adding that, “The entities remain subject to the same regulatory framework, compliance obligations, sanctions, and disciplinary measures applicable to all licensed operators.
“Whether some stakeholders agree with NAHCON’s explanation is a separate matter; however, fairness demands that the Commission’s position be considered on its merits rather than overshadowed by allegations and insinuations.
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