The Presidency has said that a systemic reform of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) will be undertaken.
The action will be sweeping and will focus on negligence, maltreatment of pilgrims and late preparation for the pilgrimage, among others.
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, dropped this hint during a fact-finding visit to NAHCON headquarters in continuation of his tour of agencies under the Presidency.
Among those in his entourage is Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadeija.
The delegations also visited the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), where Gbajabiamila highlighted the potential role of states in providing funding to the agency through an insurance scheme or other means.
Addressing the challenges at NAHCON, Gbajabiamila said: “This is a commission that should not be found in any controversy, simply because of its mandate and what it represents.
“It’s a religious commission. It’s a commission that is set up to fulfil religious and spiritual obligations for men and women of faith.
“So we are always surprised, even while I was Speaker, that issues that should never come up arise in this commission.
“Pilgrims travel every year to fulfil an Islamic religious obligation. Not only that, when they’re there, they’re there as ambassadors of Nigeria.
“As ambassadors of Nigeria, it is expected that they will carry the emblem and the flag of Nigeria on their full chest to represent and to show both in demeanour and conduct who and what we are.
“But many times, our pilgrims and fellow Nigerians face maltreatment or lack of proper organisation from this commission, and they end up sometimes not conducting themselves the way they should.
“The buck stops at the table of the commission and you must accept responsibility for what goes on here and in Saudi Arabia when Nigerian pilgrims are there,” he said.
