Independent Hajj Reporters, a group of journalists who cover and monitor hajj operations in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, has launched a news website.
Speaking at the public presentation of the new website and award ceremony yesterday at Stonehedge Hotel, Abuja, the national coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, said the platform would create avenue for mutual interaction and serve as watchdog for hajj operations.
“The decision to set up www.hajjreporters.com <http://www.hajjreporters.com> arose from the need to create a platform that will aggregate all important hajj related stories and to serve as a knowledge platform for all stakeholders,” he said.
He added that the group’s broader objective was to redefine the art of hajj information dissemination by focusing on pilgrims’ enlightenment and education, x-raying hajj policies with a view to offering constructive criticism and ensuring that pilgrims got commensurate value for their money.
The chairman of the occasion, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said it was a worthy cause and encouraged the group to sustain it, as according to him, it would help in giving accurate information on hajj operations.
The Executive Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barr. Abdullahi M. Muhammad, however, cautioned the group against using the platform to misinform Muslims about hajj operations.
He congratulated them for providing a platform for Muslims to access credible information, describing it as a wonderful initiative that deserved the support of all stakeholders.
