The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has denied the allegations of nepotism, racketeering, and procedural breaches in the selection process for ad hoc staff for the 2025 Hajj operations.

In a statement at the weekend, Chairman Abdullahi Saleh clarified that the selection of the National Medical Team (NMT) was coordinated by a Steering Committee headed by the Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information, and Library Services (PRSILS) Abubakar Yagawal.

He said the committee, made up of professionals within and outside NAHCON, was inaugurated by him. Of the thousands of applications received through the Medical Team portal, the agency chief said only 8,452 met the basic requirements.

The statement said applicants were screened based on professional qualifications, physical fitness, prior participation and willingness to serve on a voluntary basis, and availability during the Hajj period.

On staff deployment for offshore operations, he noted that the selection was not determined solely by seniority but that factors such as office attendance, relevance to operational roles, disciplinary records, past performance, and budgetary provisions were considered.