The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria says 25,075 Nigerian pilgrims have been transported to Makkah from Madina with their Nusuk cards.

Abdulkadri Oloyin, NAHCON’s spokesman, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Madina on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has made it mandatory for pilgrims from all countries participating in the 2025 hajj to have Nusuk cards displaying their details.

The ministry explained that the card was for easy identification of genuine pilgrims and for gaining access to the holy sites in Makkah.

Mr Oloyin, who said no pilgrims left Madina for Makkah without Nusuk cards, noted that NAHCON had already collected 25,075 Nusuk cards.

“They have already been collected by Nigeria and distributed to our pilgrims. And if you compare it with the number of those that have left Madina for Makkah, it is accurate.

“Anyone that has not collected it, there may be those who will move among officials ahead, but they have registered them, and they will collect their Nusuk cards. As for ordinary pilgrims, all their Nusuk cards have been issued already,” Mr Oloyin said.

He added, “But there is no serious challenge that has not been attended to. The biggest challenge that we had when we started the operation in Madina was cooperation from the local authorities.”

(NAN)