CSO Sets Up Media Monitoring Team for 2026 Hajj Operations
A faith-based civil society organisation, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has constituted a special media monitoring team to oversee the 2026 Hajj operations in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The organisation disclosed this in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, noting that the committee comprises experienced media professionals drawn from print, broadcast, and online platforms with deep knowledge of Hajj and Umrah activities.
According to the statement, the team has been deployed across departure points and Hajj camps to monitor the conduct of pilgrims and officials. It will also document activities through video and photographs for inclusion in the 2026 Hajj Report to be submitted to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria after the exercise.
The committee is chaired by Nasiru Lawal, a 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, Sani Tukur, Jidda Abubakar Usman, Suleiman Tola, and Mustapha Hodi. Also on the team are Medina Dauda and Maryam Najeem.
IHR stated that the committee’s mandate is to complement NAHCON’s regulatory role by providing oversight and contributing to policy direction within the Hajj and Umrah sector. The report generated will support regulatory frameworks and improve the overall Hajj ecosystem.
Speaking on the initiative, Muhammad said: “The team 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 Hajj and Umrah activities in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, activated the monitoring team to further strengthen standards and accountability in the sector.
