Hadaya: NAHCON warn pilgrims
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Nigerian authorities overseeing the 2026 Hajj operation have issued a fresh warning to pilgrims against purchasing Hady and Adahi vouchers through unauthorised agents, amid growing concerns over fraud and exploitation during the pilgrimage season.
The advisory, released by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, urged intending pilgrims to obtain sacrificial vouchers exclusively through the official Nusuk Masar platform or approved outlets operating under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Project for the Utilization of Hady and Adahi.
Hady and Adahi refer to the ritual animal sacrifices performed during Hajj, particularly during Eid al-Adha, forming a central part of the pilgrimage rites for many Muslims.
In the statement, the commission cautioned pilgrims against dealing with unauthorised individuals or informal operators offering discounted or unofficial arrangements, warning that such transactions could expose pilgrims to scams and invalidate the proper execution of the rite.
Officials said the directive was designed to protect pilgrims from fraud, financial exploitation and deceptive middlemen who often emerge during the Hajj season claiming to facilitate sacrificial arrangements on behalf of pilgrims.
The commission also stressed that the use of approved channels was necessary to ensure that the slaughtering rites are conducted in accordance with Islamic requirements as well as Saudi Arabian regulations governing the pilgrimage.
Under the Saudi-managed Adahi project, pilgrims purchase official vouchers which authorise certified facilities to carry out the sacrifice and distribute meat to needy communities, a system introduced to regulate the process and reduce congestion, health risks and fraudulent practices during Hajj.
The commission warned that any unauthorised contracting, marketing or handling of Hady and Adahi activities outside the approved framework could place pilgrims at risk of financial loss and procedural complications.
State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, agencies, commissions and licensed tour operators across Nigeria have now been directed to intensify awareness campaigns among pilgrims ahead of the peak Hajj rites in Mina and Makkah.
They have also been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the Saudi-approved procedures as Nigerian pilgrims continue arriving in the Kingdom for the annual pilgrimage.
The warning comes as millions of Muslims from around the world converge on the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah for this year’s Hajj, one of the largest annual religious gatherings globally, with authorities increasingly tightening oversight of pilgrimage-related transactions to curb fraud and unauthorised commercial activity.
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