By Olugbenga Salami

The Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, monitoring team has commended the Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and other stakeholders for a well-coordinated and seamless airlift of pilgrims from the Bauchi zone for the 2026 Hajj.

In a statement signed by IHR National Coordinator Ibrahim Muhammad, the team said it observed a high level of dedication and organisation from the Hajj camp to the airport throughout the exercise.

Officials, it noted, maintained order and efficiency, ensuring smooth movement of pilgrims during departures.

The IHR singled out Executive Secretary of the board, Imam AbdulRahaman, for his hands-on leadership, saying he was consistently present with pilgrims and personally accompanied them to the point of boarding at every stage of the airlift.

It also praised NAHCON zonal officials in Bauchi for their strong commitment to coordination.

According to the team, the use of uniforms, identification tags and clearly defined roles by Bauchi officials improved coordination and made it easier for pilgrims to identify and seek assistance.

Operational data showed steady progress over several days. On May 6, Umza flight UY3507 departed Bauchi for Madinah with 481 Plateau pilgrims, bringing total airlifts to 6,493 across 15 flights.

On May 7, two flights—UY3509 and UY3511—transported 958 pilgrims from Bauchi and Plateau, raising the total to 10,576 pilgrims across 25 flights.

Flight UY3513 on May 8 airlifted 479 pilgrims, while UY3515 on May 9 conveyed 485 Bauchi pilgrims. By May 10, flight UY3517 departed with 476 pilgrims, including one from Jigawa State.

Cumulatively, 16,932 pilgrims had been airlifted in 40 flights as of May 10, which the IHR described as a highly efficient and coordinated exercise.

By Olugbenga Salami

A Nigerian pilgrim from Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Mallama Aishatu Muhammadu, has died in Saudi Arabia during the ongoing 2026 Hajj.

The 73-year-old suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on Sunday while traveling from Jeddah to Madinah, according to the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf.

In a statement, Yusuf said he had conveyed the Federal Government’s condolences to the family of the deceased in a phone call to her brother, Umaru Jauro Koko.

He prayed that Allah grant her Aljannatul Firdaus and give the family fortitude to bear the loss.

The NAHCON chairman assured the family of government support to ensure the safe return of her personal effects, including her Basic Travel Allowance, BTA, and death certificate, through the Adamawa State Pilgrims Welfare Commission.

Mallama Aishatu is survived by several children, grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, including Abdullahi Bello, Divisional Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ganye Division.

She is the first Nigerian pilgrim reported to have died in Saudi Arabia during this year’s Hajj.

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

A faith-based civil society organization, CSO, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has urged the states and private Hajj operators to establish dedicated public communication lines for Hajj pilgrims to make inquiries and receive timely responses, especially during critical phases of the pilgrimage.

In a commentary by the organization and released on Tuesday by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, said the call has become necessary given the nature of Hajj operations, where real-time information is often required during airlift, transit, and movement between holy sites.

“Pilgrims frequently seek clarification on logistics, welfare, and religious obligations, making immediate access to accurate information essential.

“Independent Hajj Reporters has continued to receive a surge of inquiries from intending pilgrims through its social media platforms and WhatsApp channels, highlighting a growing communication gap between pilgrims and state authorities.

“The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has, however, set a precedent by opening multiple public communication channels where pilgrims can make inquiries, lodge complaints, and access guidance on key Hajj rites and operations.

“Stakeholders argue that if NAHCON, as a regulatory body, can sustain direct two-way communication with pilgrims, state Muslim pilgrims welfare boards and private Hajj operators who have closer contact with the pilgrims should adopt similar measures to improve service delivery.

“Most state intending pilgrims has contact with their registration officers and most state registration officers hardly accompany pilgrims to Saudi Arabia except with few states

“Most frontline private hajj operators makes their company and personal numbers available for the pilgrims while many others hardly responds to inquiries as at when desired.

“They stress that such communication lines would enhance coordination, reduce misinformation, and provide quick resolution to issues that may arise before and during the pilgrimage.

“Pilgrims, many of whom undertake the journey as a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual obligation, deserve accessible platforms to ask questions, seek clarification, and have their concerns addressed promptly,” IHR stated.