Amb.. Ismaila Yusuf, the Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has inaugurated a 17 member Central Security Committee (CSC) for the 2026 Hajj operations in Abuja.

Yusuf made this known in a statement by Shafii Sani, NAHCON’s Principal Information Officer, on Wednesday.

According to him, the committee is mandated to ensure security, safety, and well-being of Nigerian pilgrims during the onshore and off-shore phases of the 2026 Hajj operation.

He urged members of the committee to implement proactive, preventative strategies, including robust monitoring of departure centres to weed out undesirable persons, as well as prevent drug-related or human trafficking activities.

The NAHCON boss advised members of the committee to be vigilant and operate with the highest sense of duty and integrity, while ensuring that pilgrims get the best value for their money.

He also urged the committee to work closely with security and intelligence agencies on any matter on national security in order to safeguard pilgrims and check any potential damage to Nigeria’s reputation abroad.

Meanwhile, the Head of the committee, Amb. Lawal Rabiu, thanked Yusuf for the confidence placed on members of the committee.

Rabiu said that members would work closely with relevant agencies to gather intelligence, coordinate operations and address potential security challenges.(NAN)