The Lagos State Government has commenced medical screening for all intending pilgrims undertaking the 2026 Holy Pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This was disclosed by the Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr AbdulHakeem Ajomagberin, in a statement released on Tuesday.

He said, “Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the screening, according to the schedule drawn up by the medical team headed by Dr Mazeedat Erinosho, is expected to commence on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and end on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at ten centres across the state.”

He emphasised that, for easy accessibility and operational flexibility, the Local Government Areas were grouped under designated screening sites and health facilities for testing. These include Agege & Ifako-Ijaiye LGAs (Agege LGA Secretariat/General Hospital, Orile-Agege); Ikeja & Oshodi-Isolo (Ikeja LGA Secretariat/BT Diagnostic Center, LASUTH, Ikeja); Shomolu & Mushin (Mushin LGA Secretariat/Bukyano Medical Diagnostic/BT Diagnostic, LASUTH, Ikeja); Eti-Osa, Epe & Ibeju-Lekki (General Hospital, Ibeju-Lekki); and Badagry & Ojo (General Hospital, Badagry).

Others include Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa & Ajeromi-Ifelodun (Ajeromi LGA Secretariat/Bukyano Medical Diagnostic); Surulere, Lagos Mainland & Lagos Island (Surulere LGA Secretariat/Bukyano Medical Diagnostic); Ikorodu & Kosofe (Ikorodu LGA Secretariat/GH Ikorodu); Alimosho (Alimosho LGA Secretariat/Bukyano Diagnostic) and Government officials (Adeyemi-Bero/BT Diagnostic LASUTH, Ikeja).

The Board Secretary appealed to all intending pilgrims to ensure their presence at the exercise, warning that any intending pilgrim who fails to present themselves for screening would automatically be denied a visa by the Saudi embassy.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has appointed Local Government Schedule Officers whose responsibility is to coordinate and oversee the welfare of the pilgrims both in Nigeria and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The coordinators appointed to coordinate the pilgrims in each of the LGAs are Sanusi-Alaka Hajara (Agege); Kadiri Kudirat Oluwatoyin (Ajeromi); Bello Aminat Yetunde (Alimosho); Oladipupo Sherifat Abeni (Amuwo-Odofin); Mumeen Rabiu Adebayo (Apapa); Gafar Mojeed (Badagry); Gatta Tajudeen Abiola (Epe/Eti-Osa); Adeoye Rohimot (Ifako-Ijaiye); Ige Rasaq Kolade (Ikeja) and Murtador Morenikeji Saudat (Officials).

Others include Shitta Riskat O. (Ikorodu); Hassan Sikirat Temitope (Kosofe); Lawal Abubakar Abolore (Lagos Island); Muhammed Rukayat (Lagos Mainland); Oshile Mudirat Bukola (Mushin); Akinyemi Suraju (Ojo); Famosa Olabisi Ibironke (Oshodi-Isolo); Coker Esther (Shomolu); Ganiu Ridwan Abiola (Surulere) and Hassan Taofeek (JAIZ/NIA/ROYAL).

Ajomagberin, who stated that the appointment was approved by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, during a scheduled meeting with the coordinators at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, added that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters, Hon. Ahmad Abdullahi Jebe, was also present at the meeting.

He urged the Schedule Officers to show utmost commitment to the assignment by ensuring that the pilgrims enjoy the comfort they deserve before and during the spiritual exercise. He stressed that the state government is deeply committed to providing pilgrims with an enabling and conducive environment to actualise their dreams of fulfilling their spiritual obligation and would therefore not condone any untoward or unlawful acts that could undermine this commitment.