What exactly is the sin of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan—transparency, integrity, or excellence?
As the 2025 Hajj approaches, a storm is brewing within the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). But make no mistake—this is no organic outcry. It bears the marks of an orchestrated campaign. Barely weeks to the airlift of pilgrims, a group of part-time board members and tour operators have launched petitions and protests, casting aspersions on the Commission’s chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, popularly known as “Pakistan.” But beneath the surface lies a deeper agenda: the old guard resisting change.
A March 13 petition submitted to Vice President Kashim Shettima by eight non-permanent commissioners accuses the chairman of exclusion, financial opacity, and undermining due process. However, a closer reading of both the law and the facts reveals that these complaints are rooted less in governance and more in bruised egos.
Let’s be clear: according to the NAHCON Establishment Act, only four out of 19 board members are permanent appointees charged with the daily administration of the Commission. The remaining 15 are part-time members with advisory roles—not executive powers. They are not entitled to interfere in procurement, service provider negotiations, or internal office functions unless expressly delegated by law. The law is unambiguous.
Claims that they were “excluded” from fare negotiations or pre-Hajj visits reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of their statutory roles. It is neither illegal nor irregular for the executive leadership to proceed with urgent decisions, especially when time is of the essence. These decisions have, in fact, produced tangible results—early fare announcements, cleaner coordination with Saudi authorities, and a more structured refund mechanism.
Take, for example, the 2025 Hajj fare. The commissioners claimed they were not consulted before the announcement. But in a system where speed and certainty are critical, the leadership ensured the fare was released early enough to guide pilgrims and operators. A Zoom meeting to ratify the decision was not an afterthought—it was a courtesy.
The real issue here is not legality. It is authority. Professor Pakistan is not running a tea party; he is running a federal commission with a sacred mandate. And he is doing so with uncommon clarity, humility, and purpose.
Accusations of financial opacity are equally baseless. The chairman has not only adhered to procurement laws but has also committed the Commission to a culture of transparency rarely seen in public agencies. Since assuming office, Professor Pakistan has insisted on cutting out middlemen, blocking shady deals, and ensuring that only service providers with clear capacity and credibility are engaged.
It is no surprise that these reforms have made him enemies both from within and outside.
Even more baffling is the claim by some tour operators that they were forced to use “substandard Saudi service providers.” This raises a question: if the Commission mandates a uniform standard for all pilgrims, should individual operators be allowed to go rogue? The painful truth is that some of these operators have profited from lax regulations and poor oversight for years. Professor Pakistan’s firmness is now threatening their business model.
The matter of pending refunds is also being weaponised. Figures such as the 1.173 million Saudi Riyals from 2022 and 2023 are not hidden in some secret vault. NAHCON has consistently pursued these refunds through proper channels, often contending with Saudi timelines and procedures. Unlike the past, where refunds might vanish in transit, Professor Pakistan’s administration is not willing to disburse a single kobo without verification and accountability.
If anything, the frustration of some private actors stems from the fact that, under this new dispensation, they are no longer the sole gatekeepers to pilgrims’ welfare. The days of cornering contracts and cutting backdoor deals are fast disappearing.
This is precisely what sets Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan apart. He is a God-fearing cleric, a seasoned administrator, and a servant-leader who rose to prominence not by accident but by consistent merit. As Chairman of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, he revolutionised the state’s Hajj operations—introducing automation, sanitising operations, and earning the respect of pilgrims and the public alike. His performance was so outstanding that his elevation to NAHCON’s leadership came not as a favour, but as a national necessity.
He is tested, trusted, and spiritually grounded—precisely the kind of leadership Hajj operations demand. In an era when the Hajj has become not only a spiritual journey but also a matter of international diplomacy and logistics, Nigeria cannot afford to gamble on inconsistency.
Those plotting his downfall must reconsider. This is not a man who came to the Commission to share slots or curry favour. He came with a mission—to restore dignity, professionalism, and divine consciousness to an institution that had drifted. Plotting against him is not just politically myopic—it is spiritually dangerous.
Rather than falling for distraction and division, stakeholders must rally behind a man whose only offence appears to be doing the right thing. The 2025 Hajj should not be derailed by boardroom politicking. The Vice President must see through the smoke and back the man who has brought credibility back to NAHCON—Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, as a seasoned statesman and experienced public servant, must view the recent petition against Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan for what it truly is: a calculated attempt by entrenched interests to resist a new wave of discipline, accountability, and reform in Nigeria’s Hajj administration. There are several compelling reasons why these calls for action against the NAHCON Chairman must be ignored—for the sake of due process, national integrity, and the spiritual welfare of Nigerian pilgrims.
First, the petition lacks legal grounding. The NAHCON Act clearly defines the roles of permanent and part-time commissioners. Professor Pakistan has acted well within the boundaries of this law. Non-executive commissioners, as part-time board members, are not mandated to be involved in procurement, staff management, or daily executive decision-making. Their attempt to blur the lines between advisory responsibility and executive authority indicates either ignorance of the law or a deliberate distortion of it for personal gain. The Vice President must not legitimise a process that is built on such a flawed understanding of governance.
Second, the integrity of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan is not in question—except by those who fear the death of corruption. The man has no record of misappropriation, no history of favouritism, and no trace of fraudulent dealings. On the contrary, his tenure in Kano State as the Pilgrims Welfare Board Chairman was marked by transparency, innovation, and genuine service to the people. His moral and spiritual compass is well-known. This is a man who does not merely see Hajj as an event but as a sacred trust—a covenant between leadership, the people, and Allah. To act on a petition that attempts to undermine such a figure is to send the wrong signal to reformers across the public service: that integrity is a liability, and performance is punishable.
Third, the timing of the petition speaks volumes. Why wait until barely a month to the commencement of Hajj operations to raise issues that could have been addressed internally long ago? The answer is clear: it is a desperate, last-minute effort to throw the Commission into chaos and force the hands of leadership into rash decisions. Any intervention now, especially if it undermines the Chairman, risks derailing months of preparation and endangering the welfare of thousands of Nigerian pilgrims. This is not a time for political appeasement—it is a time for steady hands and sound judgment.
Fourth, the Vice President must guard against setting a dangerous precedent. If this petition succeeds, what stops similar groups from mounting pressure against other reform-minded public officials using half-truths and coordinated media campaigns? Public office will become a battlefield where only the corrupt and the connected survive. Nigeria cannot afford such regression at a time when the government is pushing for transparency, accountability, and institutional reform.
Fifth, the wider Muslim community trusts Professor Pakistan. From the streets of Kano to the offices of Islamic scholars and Hajj veterans, the Chairman enjoys enormous goodwill. He is perceived as someone who prioritises the comfort, safety, and dignity of Nigerian pilgrims. Discrediting him based on internal politics would fracture the fragile trust the Ummah has begun to rebuild in the institution of Hajj. For a role so spiritually sensitive, public perception matters. And right now, the overwhelming perception is that Professor Pakistan is doing exactly what he was appointed to do—cleaning house.
Finally, the nation is watching. Decisions made now will echo far beyond NAHCON. Will the government reward transparency and sacrifice, or will it bend to the whims of those whose primary concern is self-interest? The Vice President has long built a reputation as a man of principle, known for his courage to stand on the side of what is right—even when it is unpopular. This is one of those moments that demands that kind of leadership.
In light of the above, Vice President Shettima must see this petition not as a crisis, but as confirmation that reforms are working—and that those who profit from disorder are panicking. He must not entertain calls that are rooted in bitterness, disguised as patriotism. Nigeria’s Hajj operations are too important to be left in the hands of the loudest voices rather than the most competent hands.
This piece was written by Muhammad Bashir, an award-winning Public Relations professional, investigative journalist, and Editor-in-Chief of Daily Feeds (English and Hausa). He currently serves as a Public Relations Assistant at the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network under the Nigeria Customs Service.