Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has pledged to strengthen the welfare and service delivery arrangements for intending pilgrims from the state ahead of the 2027 Hajj.
Buni made the commitment on Thursday when he received a delegation of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by its Commissioner representing the North-East, Alhaji Abba Jatau, at the Government House, Damaturu.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Idi Barde Gubana, said the engagement with NAHCON was an opportunity to address issues critical to the smooth and successful conduct of the 2027 Hajj exercise.
He said NAHCON had a critical responsibility to regulate and coordinate Hajj operations in accordance with Federal Government policies and guidelines issued by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Buni commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their continued support towards strengthening the operations and institutional capacity of NAHCON.
He also praised the commission for improvements recorded in the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to the Holy Land and their orderly return to the country.
According to him, the development underscored the importance of effective planning, coordination and continuous institutional reforms in Hajj administration.
The governor recalled that Yobe achieved a significant milestone during the 2026 Hajj exercise by becoming the first state in the Maiduguri Zone to complete the outbound airlift of its pilgrims.
He added that none of the state’s pilgrims absconded after the exercise, attributing the feat to the commitment of the state government, the Yobe State Pilgrims Commission, religious leaders, officials and the discipline of the pilgrims.
Buni said his administration had consistently supported the Pilgrims Commission to participate in meetings, seminars, conferences, training and other capacity-building programmes both within and outside Nigeria.
He noted that the interventions had contributed to the improved performance of the commission during the 2026 Hajj.
“As we prepare for the forthcoming Hajj operations, I reiterate the commitment of the Yobe State Government to ensuring that all necessary arrangements are concluded on time and in accordance with the guidelines issued by NAHCON,” he said.
The governor further assured NAHCON that Yobe would meet the commission’s September 26 deadline for the completion of pilgrims’ registration and payment.
He pledged that the government would work closely with the Pilgrims Commission and other relevant stakeholders to eliminate unnecessary delays and administrative bottlenecks that could affect intending pilgrims.
Buni also appealed to Jatau to sustain his support and advocacy for pilgrims’ commissions across the North-East, noting that the region had peculiar challenges requiring effective coordination and intervention.
He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between NAHCON, state pilgrims’ commissions and other stakeholders would further improve the Hajj experience for pilgrims from the region.
Earlier, Jatau said the NAHCON delegation was in the North as part of an official engagement with state pilgrims’ commissions to discuss new policies and guidelines introduced by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
He commended the Yobe State Pilgrims Commission for conducting its operations in line with the rules and regulations governing Hajj activities in Saudi Arabia.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Yobe State Pilgrims Commission, Alhaji Mai Aliyu Usman Biriri, disclosed that the commission had already uploaded the data of intending pilgrims in compliance with the requirements of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Biriri expressed appreciation to the NAHCON delegation for engaging the commission as part of consultations and preparations for the 2027 Hajj operations.