From Joseph Adahnu, Yola
The Adamawa State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, has filled all the 952 slots allocated to the state by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), for the 2027 Hajj.
The District Head of Gurin, Alhaji Saliyu Abubakar, who disclosed this to journalists in Yola, said the slots have been fully paid for.
He said a team from the state will travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the coming days to finalise accommodation and feeding arrangements for the pilgrims.
According to him, while transportation and airline matters remain under NAHCON, the state board will secure tents and camp facilities in the critical Mashair areas of Mina and Arafat, which are traditionally the most challenging segments of the pilgrimage.
Abubakar said visa applications are expected to open within the next one week, with visas anticipated to start arriving by February, while enlightenment programmes for intending pilgrims will commence in about two months. The first airlift is scheduled for April.
Officials of the board expressed confidence that the 2027 operation will surpass the 2026 Hajj, during which the Adamawa contingent won three awards from NAHCON, the Independent Hajj Reporters, and Saudi organisations.
They attributed the successes to rigorous planning, continuous self-evaluation, and openness to frank feedback.
The board disclosed that it engaged an independent monitoring and evaluation team comprising university professors and High Court judges to assess its performance, highlight strengths, and identify areas for improvement.
The board also said it maintains an open-door policy with the media, urging journalists to report problems as well as successes and to verify stories before publication.
Reacting to a recent social media claim that pilgrims were left stranded for two days without accommodation, the board clarified that more than 400 Adamawa pilgrims were still in Medina at the time the post appeared and all had confirmed rooms in Makkah. It added that temporary congestion at reception was resolved with immediate room allocation.
Beyond the Hajj operation, the board said it has outlined a broader governance agenda for the 10 villages under its purview, including constituting an advisory council with representation from every village and 12 standing committees.
It said priority areas include strengthening the Tsangaya education system in collaboration with local primary schools, improving community healthcare, and fostering participatory decision-making.
