The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has appealed to the State Welfare Boards to forward manifest of their intending pilgrims to its Madina office 24 hours before their arrival.
Dr Aliyu Abdulhameed, Head, Madina NAHCON Committee on Passport Management Control, made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the commission’s Information Officer, Suwaiba Ahmed.
Abdulhameed said the appeal became necessary to ease the issuance and activation of the NUSUK card for the pilgrims as they arrive.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has made it mandatory for pilgrims from all countries participating in the 2025 hajj to have a NUSUK card that carries their details.
The ministry explained that the card was for easy identification of genuine pilgrims as well as gaining access to the holy sites in Makkah, Madina and Masha’ir.
Abdulhameed said that his committee was saddled with the responsibility of getting the NUSUK card for Nigerian pilgrims.
“Since their arrival in the Kingdom on May 5, the committee has been working round the clock to get the cards ready before the arrival of Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
“Though, they work nonstop to achieve the maximum results, we also appeal to all stakeholders particularly the State Welfare Boards to forward manifest of their intending pilgrims to the Madina office 24 hours before the arrival of the pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“This will ease the issuance and activation of the NUSUK card for the pilgrims as they arrive,” he said.
