By SHAFI’I SANI MUHAMMAD, Makkah

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs led by Senator Ali Ndume has undertaken an on-site visit to Imaratus Sanan Hotel in Saudi Arabia where a fire incident occurred on June 7, 2025. Others on the tour were Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Senator Sharafadeen Ali and Senator Abdulhamid Ahmad.

The Senate contingent, which arrived on Sunday, June 9, was received at the site of the incident on Shari Mansur Street by the NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, accompanied by the Commissioner of Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS), Professor Abubakar Yagawal.

Prof. Usman conducted the delegation round the site, briefing the Senate Committee on the incident, and the swift measures taken by NAHCON to relocate the affected pilgrims.

Speaking with pressmen during the visit, Senator Ndume stated: “We are here to see for ourselves the unfortunate incident that has occurred and be briefed on the steps taken to address the situation”. He commiserated with the victims of the fire outbreak and thanked Allah that there was no life affected by the fire. He also appreciated the swift response by NAHCON while thanking the Chairman for his leadership.

The two parties subsequently drove to the hotel accommodation where the victims of the inferno were accommodated to commiserate with the pilgrims and inquire about their wellbeing. The pilgrims on ground appreciated NAHCON for making them comfortable following the misfortune. A pilgrim expressed his concern on how to retrieve his documents that were burned in the fire. To this, Senator Sahabi directed that the Commission should prepare a report on the incident which will subsequently be used by the pilgrims to obtain police report and also new copies of their lost documents and properties on their return to Nigeria.

Prof. Usman assured the pilgrims of the Commission’s readiness to assist the pilgrims in any way they can.

Earlier in the day, the Leadership of Tour Operators affected by the fire incident in Shari Mansur district of Makkah paid the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON a thank-you visit in appreciation of the Commission’s quick intervention on the disaster. The affected Tour Operators are Arafat Air Services, Moslima Tours, Az hab Travels, Danbare Travel and Tours, Amami, and Murna companies.

Leader of the delegation, AbdulAzeez Shabitu, the Chairman of the Arafat Travels, disclosed that six rooms were completely burnt while 120 rooms were partially affected. Others in the entourage were Abdul Razak Zakari of Nusra Travels, Aminu Musa of Amami Travels, Misbahuddeen Yahaya Murna and AbdulRazak Ibrahim of Moslima. Shabitu thanked the Almighty that no live was lost in the inferno.

The NAHCON Chairman in his response stated that there was no need to thank him and the Commission as, in his words, “We are only carrying out a statutory obligation and responsibility of providing efficient and effective service to the pilgrims”. He once again commiserated with the Tour Operators on their misfortune but thanked Allah for sparing human lives.

Among those who received the visitors were Commissioner PRSILS, Prof Yagawal, and Deputy Makkah Coordinator, Alhaji Alidu Shutti.

•Shafi’i is on the staff of NAHCON.