Hours To Deadline: Seats Racketeering, Bribery Mar Hajj Operations - Newstrends
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Hours To Deadline: Seats Racketeering, Bribery Mar Hajj Operations

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With a few hours to the deadline of landing permits granted to the Nigerian government by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, about 5,000 pilgrims may be left behind as activities of this year’s Hajj continue to face hitches.

Pilgrims and some officials from state pilgrim boards have accused the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) of cutting corners on processing visas and incompetence, which has led to a lot of visa cancellations and the inability of assigned carriers to efficiently airlift pilgrims.

Officials of state Muslim pilgrims’ boards also alleged the sale of visa slots by some staff of NAHCON.

They expressed their displeasure over NAHCON’s action in replacing their visa slots with others, especially from tour operators.

As of Tuesday afternoon, NAHCON announced that 29,128 pilgrims and 920 officials had been safely airlifted to Saudi Arabia while 8,620 visas from private tour operators had been processed.

This leaves a deficit of about 5,000 pilgrims including state officials whose hopes of making it for this year’s hajj were shattered.

Many state pilgrims boards across the country have expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of this year’s hajj operation, blaming NAHCON for many of the challenges.

Daily Trust reports that 1, 120 intending pilgrims out of 2, 265 from Niger State have yet to be airlifted as of yesterday evening.

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In Bauchi State, 150 pilgrims have been asked to go home because their visas could not be processed while in Kaduna State, about 100 people including officials are expected to stay behind because NAHCON could not process their visas, despite making payments.

An intending pilgrim from Bauchi alleged that agents increased the price of visas to N700, 000 and some were asked to pay N1 million for visas in the last one week.

However, the Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Imam Abdurrahman Ibrahim Idris, explained that he was not aware of any visa slot for Bauchi pilgrims being replaced by NAHCON.

Kaduna, which has the highest allocation by NAHCON, was given 2,491 slots before the commission increased it to 2,600.

So far, about 2,392 pilgrims have been airlifted by Azman after its sixth flight left the Kaduna International Airport in the early hours of Tuesday with 406 pilgrims including the state’s Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.

Daily Trust reports that so far, 116 pilgrims from the state were expected to be airlifted by yesterday while 92 will stay back for lack of visa.

In Plateau, out of the 826 seats allocated to the state, only 552 intending pilgrims have been airlifted by Max Air with the fate of 218 uncertain. Daily Trust, however, gathered that about 60 intending pilgrims from the state will be left behind as their visas have not been provided.

The Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Auwal Abdullahi, said he could not explain why the visas were not ready but that 60 of the state’s remaining 278 intending pilgrims who had already been taken to Bauchi State where they were expected to be airlifted would not make it due to non-availability of visas.

Daily Trust reports that most of the affected persons in the state were government sponsored, including government officials.

Slots sold to highest bidder – Sources

Despite pegging the 2022 Hajj fare at N2.85m, some pilgrims paid as much as N3.5m to secure a slot for the holy exercise, findings by Daily Trust have revealed.

Our correspondent learnt that some of the pilgrims who made deposits as far back as 2019 could not make it to the holy land due to the short time given to them to top their deposits.

It would be recalled that some pilgrims in Lagos had in April protested over the short notice the state pilgrims’ welfare board gave them to complete their payment after an over 100 per cent hike in the 2022 Hajj fare.

It was however learnt that majority of those who made deposits from 2019 could not perform the exercise as their names were allegedly replaced on the excuse that they could not meet up with the deadline to complete the payment.

One of the affected pilgrims from Kwara State who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said she was cleared to pay N800, 000 to balance her deposit on a Friday and could not pay up that day because the bank had already closed.

“When I got to the bank on Monday, I was told the payment deadline has elapsed. I learnt my name was replaced,” she said.

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It was gathered that some pilgrims in the state paid as much as N3.5m to buy a seat meant for N2, 850, 000.

“Those who did not make it are more than those who made it to Hajj this year. They replaced those who have made deposits since 2019 and 2020 with new set of people saying they are unable to meet up with the deadline for payment,” the source said.

It would be recalled that a civil society organisation, the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) had called the attention of the NAHCON to the seat racketeering which dominated the 2022 exercise.

IHR said it had received numerous complaints all over the country from intending pilgrims alleging that some officials across the states’ boards colluded with others outside the Hajj industry to sell Hajj seats to “Desperate intending pilgrims who are ready to purchase such seats at any price.”

“Our social media message box is filled with complaints from 2022 Hajj intending pilgrims who alleged that some officials demanded and received between N250,000 to N500,000 before agreeing to process their traveling documents despite depositing the required N2.5 million since 2019 and meeting NAHCON’S criteria of “First come, first served, age and payment before deadline.”

IHR, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, also drew the attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ACAs and NAHCON to the controversy surrounding the issue of Basic Travelling Allowances (BTA) to some state pilgrims.

Another top official of a pilgrims board in a South West state gave our correspondent another instance of some pilgrims who paid as much as N2.8m as Hajj fare without getting BTA.

“As I am talking to you, the issue is still there. It has not been resolved. These pilgrims are altogether eight. They paid N2, 850,000 but at the end of the day, they are unable to travel and they are yet to get a refund,” the source said.

NAHCON deleted our 66 visa applications – Kano ES

In a related development, the Executive Secretary of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mohammad Abba Danbatta, alleged that there was a grand plan to deny several intending pilgrims visas.

Speaking on the hopes of the over 1,300 intending pilgrims yet to be airlifted from Kano yesterday, Danbatta said they were visa problems despite meeting all the requirements.

“They (NAHCON) deleted 66 of our visa applications after processing it with the only thing remaining, being for the visa to be printed,” he said.

He said when the complaints on this and mostly on the slow airlifting of Kano pilgrims became too much, he relocated five ICT personnel of the board to Abuja but he was only able to see the chairman of NAHCON over the issue a few days ago and the chairman instructed one of his commissioners to go and attend to the matter.

“They have already given directives to their ICT not to print any visa for us,” he said, adding that as of Tuesday afternoon, there were at least 88 persons from Kano that were denied visas.

He also alleged that he was given 87 names from NAHCON to be accommodated in the slots given to Kano, thereby further reducing the chances of intending pilgrims that paid through the Hajj savings scheme.

He said as of Tuesday afternoon, there were still about 1,300 intending pilgrims that had not been airlifted. He, however, said with the coming in of two Flynas aircraft on a rescue operation to Kano, they were hopeful that at least all of them would depart for the pilgrimage.

Efforts to speak to NAHCON’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs Division, Mrs Fatima Usara did not yield results.

She did not return several calls seeking her response to the allegations against the commission.

Airlines also fingered

Daily Trust also gathered from intending pilgrims that many of their colleagues who did not go through the government but through independent operators got their visas by “lobbying” through the airlines.

But reacting, the General Manager of Azman Air, Suleiman Lawan, said the allegation that the airline played any role in denying or “hijacking” Kano pilgrim’s visas was not true.

“This is the first time we are hearing this (allegation). Azman has nothing to do with visa issuance. We are just carriers and visa is being prepared by NAHCON. Even with our own visas, we applied through NAHCON. They even rejected my own visa, maybe because of my age,” he said.

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Customs Names Importers of 399 Pump-Action Rifles, Hands Over Weapons to NSA Office

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August 17, 2026

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Customs Names Importers of 399 Pump-Action Rifles, Hands Over Weapons to NSA Office

Nigeria Customs Names Importers of 399 Pump-Action Rifles, Hands Over Weapons to NSA Office

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has publicly identified the importers behind the recent shipment of 399 fully assembled JOJEF pump-action rifles and assorted firearm components intercepted at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, as both suspects remain in custody pending their court arraignment.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the names during the formal handover of the seized arms to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in Lagos on Monday. According to the Customs chief, the importers behind the illicit consignment are Robert Eze and Ejiogu Godson. Both individuals are now in custody following their arrest in connection with the illegal shipment. Customs operatives arrested one of the suspects on July 31, 2026, at a bonded terminal while he was allegedly attempting to secure the release of the container containing the prohibited firearms. The two suspects have been remanded by the Federal High Court in Lagos, with their arraignment scheduled for August 25, 2026.

The interception occurred after the NCS risk-management system flagged the container for inspection upon arrival at Tincan Island Port aboard the vessel MV Velika on July 8, 2026. Adeniyi placed particular emphasis on the role of technology in the seizure, explaining that Customs could not physically open every container arriving in the country. “Look carefully at what is laid out on these tables. 399 rifles. Somebody paid for them. Somebody arranged their shipment. Somebody was waiting at this end to collect them. And somebody, somewhere in this country, was going to be on the wrong end of them,” Adeniyi said. The Comptroller-General revealed that the firearms had been deliberately dismantled and concealed among the contents of the container in an apparent attempt to make them more difficult to detect. “It was opened because our risk management system flagged it. Inside were firearm components, taken apart and hidden in knocked-down form. That is a deliberate method. It is chosen for one reason only, which is that a rifle in pieces does not look like a rifle,” he explained.

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Following detailed examination and assembly of recovered components, Customs confirmed the discovery of 399 fully assembled patrol rifles alongside a significant quantity of supplementary rifle parts. Among the additional components recovered were 89 frames, 80 charging handles, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips/handguards, 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 25 locking lugs, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, four pistol grips, five barrels, and three pistons.

Following the complete inventory and assessment of the illicit shipment, the Customs Service handed over the seized armaments to the Director-General of the NCCSALW under the Office of the National Security Adviser. Adeniyi confirmed that the two arrested suspects are also being transferred to the Office of the NSA for further investigation. In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the NCCSALW, Mr Johnson Kokumo, revealed that the Centre has received 21,000 Small Arms and Light Weapons since inception, while over 19,000 have been destroyed. He commended the Comptroller General of Customs for his astute leadership, professionalism, and patriotism often demonstrated in all operations of the Nigeria Customs that have led to the recovery of illicit weapons at different times. Kokumo stated: “Illicit weapons taken out of the hands of non state actors is a direct blow to criminal networks and a vital step toward safeguarding innocent citizens.” He assured that the weapons would be managed to the highest standards and will be accounted for, ensuring that they do not find their way back into the hands of criminal elements, in strict compliance with national legislation and international best practices.

Adeniyi warned that criminal networks could seek to exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports, and airports ahead of the next general elections to move prohibited items into the country. He assured Nigerians that the service would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations to prevent such activities. “We are about entering a major election cycle, and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this. We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so,” Adeniyi said. The Customs chief reaffirmed the service’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance, and collaboration with sister security agencies to dismantle arms-trafficking networks and safeguard national security. He also warned Customs personnel against colluding with arms traffickers, saying officers who facilitate the movement of illicit weapons would not receive protection from the service.

Customs Names Importers of 399 Pump-Action Rifles, Hands Over Weapons to NSA Office

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Obasanjo Pays Surprise Visit to Adeleke, Tasks Him on Good Governance

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August 17, 2026

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Obasanjo Pays Surprise Visit to Adeleke, Tasks Him on Good Governance
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke

Obasanjo Pays Surprise Visit to Adeleke, Tasks Him on Good Governance

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has charged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to continue delivering good governance to the people of the state following his re-election victory in Saturday’s governorship poll.

Obasanjo made the call during a surprise congratulatory visit to Adeleke at his country home in Ede on Sunday, hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the governor winner of the keenly contested election. The former president was accompanied by Chief Oyewole Fasawe during the visit.

According to a statement issued by Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Monday, Obasanjo prayed for further success for the governor and urged him to remain committed to good governance and the delivery of dividends of democracy. “Continue to deliver good governance. Continue to meet the needs of your people,” Obasanjo charged the governor. The statement further revealed that Adeleke received the former president with “dancing and a song of praise to God for the successful outcome of the election.”

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Governor Adeleke, who expressed surprise at the visit, thanked God and the people of Osun State and promised to remain a loyal servant of the people. “Baba, I thank you for this surprise visit. I promise never to disappoint God, the Osun people and all lovers of democracy who made our victory possible,” the governor said. The deputy governor of the state, Prince Kola Adewusi, accompanied Adeleke to receive the former president.

INEC declared Adeleke, who contested on the Accord Party platform, winner with 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 444,815 votes. The governor secured victories in 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. Following his victory, Adeleke also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had called to congratulate him, expressing appreciation for the President’s support for the democratic process. Adeleke’s re-election now gives him a fresh four-year mandate to continue his administration’s programmes in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and workers’ welfare.

Obasanjo Pays Surprise Visit to Adeleke, Tasks Him on Good Governance

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King’s College Concession: Parents Mobilise for Mass Protest as N100bn Takeover Plan Sparks Outrage

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August 17, 2026

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King's College Concession: Parents Mobilise for Mass Protest as N100bn Takeover Plan Sparks Outrage

King’s College Concession: Parents Mobilise for Mass Protest as N100bn Takeover Plan Sparks Outrage

The controversy over the Federal Government’s decision to concession King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) has intensified, with parents and other stakeholders mobilising for a mass protest against the arrangement.

Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Mr Peter Oluwaseye, confirmed the planned protest, stating that widespread opposition from parents, civil servants, and the host community had made the demonstration necessary. He emphasised that parents strongly object to the move, insisting that King’s College remains a public institution that should not be taken over by its former students. “Parents are not in support of the move. Senior civil servants are also saying no to it. The community is also not in support. Old boys should not see the college as their property. They attended the school just like the current students are doing. King’s College is a public property,” he said. The PTA chairman argued that KCOBA should support the institution through voluntary contributions rather than seek control of its administration. “The old students should give to the college willingly, not wanting to take it over. They won’t succeed. There is no private entity that can assemble the type of teachers we have in the college. We say no to concession, whatever guise it is being planned,” he stated.

The controversy follows an announcement in July 2026 by KCOBA President, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, that the Federal Government had approved the concession of the 116-year-old institution to the old boys’ association. Following the announcement, KCOBA launched a N100 billion endowment fund aimed at repositioning the college and financing infrastructure renewal, teacher development, digital technology, scholarships, research, innovation, and students’ welfare. Among the early contributors were First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who donated N10 million, while Ibrahim-Imam pledged N1 billion. Former Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Philip Asiodu, and the association’s new Board Chairman, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, also donated N100 million each. The endowment fund will be chaired by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, with economist Atedo Peterside serving as Vice Chairman.

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Ibrahim-Imam described the concession as a defining moment in the history of King’s College, potentially serving as a blueprint for the renewal of public education in Nigeria. He allayed fears that the government had sold the college, stressing it was “not a privatisation agreement” but rather “the establishment of a new governance framework through which KCOBA will partner with government to restore, strengthen, modernise, and sustain one of Nigeria’s greatest educational institutions.” He further assured that the school’s federal character would remain intact, with students continuing to be admitted from all parts of the country regardless of ethnic, religious, or economic background. Giving an insight into how the journey towards the concession approval began, Ibrahim-Imam stated: “This historic milestone did not happen overnight. It is the culmination of years of careful planning, sustained advocacy, constructive engagement, and unwavering commitment by generations of Kingsmen who refused to accept that decline should define the future of their alma mater.”

However, the Parents-Teachers Association has strongly opposed the arrangement, expressing concern that the concession could result in increased school fees and other charges beyond the reach of many parents, forcing children from low-income families out of the institution and widening inequality in access to quality education. The PTA also faulted what it described as “secrecy surrounding the proposal,” saying critical stakeholders were not adequately consulted before the concession plan emerged. The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has similarly rejected the concession, warning that handing over King’s College and other Federal Government Colleges to private entities would make them unaffordable for millions of Nigerian students and threaten the jobs of teachers and other workers. The union recalled that similar attempts to privatise unity schools in 2005 were resisted through prolonged negotiations, industrial action, and legal battles.

As the controversy continues, parents have affirmed their commitment to protecting the integrity and accessibility of King’s College. They have called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend the proposed concession and initiate genuine dialogue with all stakeholders before taking any decision.

King’s College Concession: Parents Mobilise for Mass Protest as N100bn Takeover Plan Sparks Outrage

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