By Jabiru Hassan
Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a faith-based civil society organisation, has constituted a special media team to monitor the 2026 Hajj operations in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The committee comprises credentialed media professionals drawn from the print, online, and broadcast sectors, with extensive experience in the Hajj and Umrah industry.
In a statement signed by the IHR National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, the organisation said the team has been deployed across departure points and Hajj camps to monitor the conduct of pilgrims and officials.
It added that the team will document activities through video and photographs for inclusion in its 2026 Hajj Report, which will be submitted to the Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) after the exercise.
The committee is chaired by Nasiru Lawal, former Editor of Daily Trust and current Editor-in-Chief of Dateline Nigeria, while Soliu Oyesiji will serve as secretary.
Other members include Nuruddeen M. Abdallah, National Secretary of IHR and former Investigative Editor of Daily Trust; Sani Tukur, Director of Media Publications at IHR; Jidda Abubakar Usman, a veteran Hajj and broadcast journalist; Suleiman Tola, a retired Managing Editor of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN); and Mustapha Hodi, publisher of Bizpoint and an executive member of the organisation.
Also on the team are Hajiya Medina Dauda, a veteran media professional, and Maryam Najeem, Administrative Secretary of IHR.
The organisation stated that the committee’s mandate is to complement NAHCON’s regulatory role by supporting policy direction and supervision within the Hajj and Umrah industry.
It noted that the report will assist NAHCON in strengthening its regulatory policy framework for the Hajj ecosystem.
Muhammad said the initiative will support data gathering on operational conduct, which will form part of the post-Hajj review process and guide recommendations aimed at improving service delivery.
He added that IHR, established in 2013 to monitor and report on Hajj and Umrah activities in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, has activated its monitoring arm to further enhance standards in the Hajj sector.
