A faith-based civil society organization, CSO, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has charged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON and state pilgrims boards to make pre-registration security screening mandatory for all intending pilgrims ahead of the 2027 Hajj.
The group, which monitors Hajj and Umrah operations, said the call follows the recent arrest of suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders on arrival from Hajj, which it described as a warning sign for Nigeria’s pilgrimage system.
In a statement on Monday signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, IHR said: “Pre-registration screening should be made compulsory for all intending pilgrims participating in the 2027 Hajj exercise.”
The group proposed that NAHCON and State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards set up dedicated security screening committees to vet intending pilgrims who have paid the initial deposit, before final registration is completed.
“NAHCON and the State Boards should create security screening committees that will visit states every two weeks to obtain the profiles of intending pilgrims and properly vet them to prevent a repeat of what recently happened in Katsina State,” the statement read.
IHR also recommended a centralized, automated pilgrim registration database with NAHCON permit-enabled synchronization, saying the system should flag security risk indicators to help Hajj authorities “sieve out individuals or groups with dubious mindsets.”
The organisation recalled that some wanted criminal suspects were arrested at Hajj embarkation points during the 2025 pilgrimage.
“These incidents justify the need for thorough security screening of all intending pilgrims before the issuance of a
