The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have strengthened their security cooperation ahead of the 2027 Hajj, with a focus on pilgrim safety, crowd management and effective coordination during the pilgrimage.
The partnership was reinforced when the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Ismail Yusuf, at the Hajj House in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of NAHCON’s Information and Publications Division, Shafii Mohammed, the meeting focused on measures to strengthen security, manage crowd movement, ensure pilgrim safety and improve coordination during future Hajj operations.
The statement said the visit provided an opportunity for both organisations to discuss ways of strengthening their existing collaboration, particularly in the areas of security, crowd movement management, safety of pilgrims and effective coordination during Hajj operations.
Audi commended Yusuf’s leadership and the reforms being undertaken by NAHCON to reposition the Nigerian Hajj industry.
He also assured the commission of the NSCDC’s continued support and cooperation in ensuring safe and well-coordinated Hajj operations.
Responding, Yusuf appreciated the Commandant-General for the visit and reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to sustaining and strengthening its partnership with the NSCDC.
He said the collaboration remained important to ensuring the safety and welfare of Nigerian pilgrims and the smooth conduct of future Hajj operations.
The renewed focus on security comes as Nigeria’s allocation for the 2027 Hajj has increased from 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims following Saudi Arabia’s approval of an additional 10,000 slots for the country on October 1.
The increase is expected to place greater emphasis on security planning, crowd management, pilgrim safety and inter-agency coordination ahead of the 2027 pilgrimage.