Ahead of the 2026 Hajj exercise, the Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has inaugurated the Aviation Monitoring Committee to ensure quality outbound and inbound flights services.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Hajj House headquarters of the NAHCON on Monday in Abuja, Usman charged the newly inaugurated committee members to function as diligent gatekeepers entrusted with the critical mandate of undertaking transparent and impartial monitoring of all aviation matters.
The chairman, according to a statement issued by his Technical Assistant (Media), Ahmad Muazu, urged the members to carry out their duties with the highest levels of integrity, patriotism, and professionalism, reminding them that the eyes of millions of Nigerian Muslims are upon them.
While expressing full confidence in the collective expertise of the committee members and tasked them to see their assignment as a sacred duty, he pointed out that the committee is a functional, non-decorative body, reflecting the commission’s zero-tolerance for failure and its core commitment to the pilgrims welfare.
“For the Nigerian government, under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, facilitating this spiritual journey for its citizens is not just a statutory duty, it is a sacred trust. We are committed to ensuring that every Nigerian pilgrim performs their Ibadah in comfort and safety,” he pledged.
The chairman said while NAHCON has recorded steady improvements in airlift logistics, aviation remains the most sensitive and visible component of Hajj operations.
He said: “This committee is not a decorative body; it is our commitment to pilgrim welfare. You are the gatekeepers, entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the aviation matters of our pilgrims.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner of Operations and Licensing, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, thanked the chairman for the confidence reposed in the committee and pledged the team’s total commitment to its mandate.
“Our mission is straightforward and solemn to guarantee safe, secure, and dignified air transport for pilgrims. We will not compromise the safety of Nigerian pilgrims,” he assured.