The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has denied allegations of nepotism, racketeering, and procedural breaches in the selection process for ad hoc staff for the 2025 Hajj operations.
Reacting to a recent report that questioned the integrity of the process, the commission described the claims as misleading and an attempt to undermine its credibility.
NAHCON, in a statement on Saturday signed by Shafii Sani Mohammed, clarified that the selection of the National Medical Team (NMT) was coordinated by a Steering Committee headed by the Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information, and Library Services (PRSILS), Professor Abubakar Yagawal.
He said the committee, made up of professionals within and outside NAHCON, was inaugurated by the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman.
Of the thousands of applications received through the Medical Team portal, NAHCON disclosed that only 8,452 met the basic requirements.
Mohammed said applicants were screened based on professional qualifications, physical fitness, prior participation and willingness to serve on a voluntary basis, and availability during the Hajj period.
On staff deployment for offshore operations, he noted that the selection was not determined solely by seniority but that factors such as office attendance, relevance to operational roles, disciplinary records, past performance, and budgetary provisions were considered.
The statement read in part: “A committee led by the Director of Admin was set up for the selection of staff for this year’s operations, as was the practice in previous years. Members of the committee included a representative from the Staff Union, who painstakingly worked on the selection of operational staff under oath of impartiality and secrecy, and with necessary input from Heads of Units.
“Any staff not on the list could either be as a result of disciplinary actions, health issues, pregnancy as related to female staff, absenteeism, or a vote of no confidence by the staff’s supervising officer, and also budgetary constraints.
“For emphasis, all selections, whether relating to junior staff or management staff, went through a vetting process coordinated with departmental heads. However, in exceptional cases, competence and availability were prioritized in the overall interest of the operation.”
On the issue of the Advance Team travel timeline, Mohammed said the Commission is on course, stating that while some changes have been introduced to improve operational efficiency, the May 5 departure date of the advance team—four days ahead of the inaugural flight—is a strategic decision without fear of lateness.
“The leadership of the Commission under Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman is strengthening internal mechanisms to ensure that no staff is unfairly treated or wrongfully excluded. The welfare of staff and the successful coordination of the Hajj remain its top priorities,” the Commission stated.
