The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs visited Saudi Arabia on Saturday to inspect the welfare arrangements for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2025 Hajj.
Gatekeepers News reports that the delegation which included Sharafadeen Alli, senator representing Oyo South, and Shahabi Yau, senator representing Zamfara North, among others, was led by Senator Ali Ndume who represents Borno South.
Ndume said the committee began its inspection in Madinah, focusing on accommodation, feeding, and transportation provided for the pilgrims.
The senator noted that the visit aligns with the National Assembly’s mandate to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims receive adequate care and support during the pilgrimage.
He said, “All of us on this team are members of the national assembly; members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and the subcommittee on Hajj.”
“We’re here for oversight — to see how the Hajj operations are being managed, beginning from Madinah.”
He disclosed that the committee had already interacted with pilgrims from Kebbi State who had arrived the previous night and provided positive feedback regarding their accommodation.
The senator said, “They told us it was okay; we also confirmed that breakfast was served on time and was of good quality.”
Ndume added that the team had begun observing dinner arrangements and is engaging stakeholders for further evaluation.
He said, “We asked questions, and members will give their comments — that’s why we’re here.”
“So far, so good. We’ll visit all the accommodation centres here in Madinah. From there, we’ll move to Mecca, hold a pre-camp meeting, and proceed as planned.”
Ndume affirmed that the oversight would continue throughout the Hajj period, with the team monitoring operations from start to finish.
He stressed that while initial observations were positive, the committee would reserve final judgment until the entire pilgrimage was completed.
He said, “It’s not really about being impressed.”
“What we’ve seen so far is okay, but there are still aspects we’ll need to evaluate. We’ll continue to monitor, and by the end, we’ll be in a better position to make a definitive statement.”
