Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Birnin‑Kebbi, Nigeria — The Kebbi State Government has firmly refuted allegations by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) suggesting that a N10 billion intervention for intending pilgrims ahead of the 2026 Hajj amounted to diversion of public funds, describing the claims as misleading and not reflective of the full context of the transaction. The state made its position clear in a press briefing held in the state capital, where officials outlined the circumstances surrounding the support and provided detailed explanations to counter the criticism.
At the centre of the controversy is a N10 billion facility advanced to the Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency to enable intending pilgrims to meet the payment deadline set by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). According to the state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed, the intervention was not a grant or an outright sponsorship, but rather a short‑term, fully recoverable loan designed to safeguard the interests of residents who risked losing their Hajj slots due to timing challenges with their payments.
The Nigeria Hajj Commission had fixed December 5, 2025 as the deadline for full remittance of Hajj fares nationwide, failing which seats allocated to states could be forfeited. At that deadline, only around 2,000 of Kebbi’s intending pilgrims had completed their payments, leaving approximately 1,300 others at risk of missing out entirely. The state government acted swiftly to bridge this gap, authorising the loan through its pilgrims’ welfare agency to ensure that all eligible residents could secure their slots without forfeiture.
Emphasising the temporary nature of the intervention, the Commissioner stressed that the arrangement included a clear repayment agreement: intending pilgrims would remit their Hajj fare contributions directly back to the agency, enabling the government to recoup the full amount. In a demonstration of compliance and financial discipline, the entire N10 billion was repaid to the state’s coffers by December 16, 2025 — just 11 days after the funds were released — with no losses reported.
“By acting when we did, we protected the rights and aspirations of our people,” Alhaji Ahmed said. “This was a temporary support to meet a hard deadline, and all the money has since been returned. Bank and agency records are available for public scrutiny to confirm both the issue of the funds and their full repayment.”
The Commissioner also highlighted the socioeconomic realities that informed the government’s decision to intervene. Many of the state’s intending pilgrims are farmers and traders whose incomes are tied to seasonal harvests and business cycles. The timing of the NAHCON payment deadline, coupled with delays in proceeds from late November and early December economic activities, meant that even pilgrims with the means to travel faced the risk of losing their seats due to temporary liquidity challenges.
Thanks to the intervention, Kebbi State now has 3,629 fully paid intending pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj — a figure that places it second nationally in readiness for the pilgrimage. The state has been included in the first batch of those scheduled to be airlifted when the operations commence, a development welcomed by families, religious leaders and local authorities alike.
Addressing broader concerns about government priorities, the Kebbi State Government insisted that investment in pilgrims’ welfare had not come at the expense of critical sectors such as health and infrastructure. The Commissioner noted that the administration of Governor Nasir Idris has overseen the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of several hospitals — including tertiary facilities — and numerous primary healthcare centres across the state. Efforts have also been made to improve remuneration and working conditions for healthcare professionals to stem brain drain and enhance service delivery.
Education, too, has not been overlooked, with a range of interventions aimed at school renovations and the provision of furniture and learning materials to support students and educators. The government emphasised that these initiatives demonstrate a balanced approach to governance that seeks to meet both developmental needs and the aspirations of citizens who are preparing for one of Islam’s most important religious duties.
While expressing respect for the role of civil society organisations like MURIC in promoting accountability and social oversight, the state urged such groups to verify all facts before making public pronouncements that can shape public perception. Government officials reiterated their openness to engagement and their commitment to transparency, inviting any concerned parties to review the financial records associated with the Hajj intervention to dispel misunderstandings.
The response from the Kebbi State Government reflects a broader trend among several Nigerian states in recent years, where authorities have occasionally deployed fiscal measures to support pilgrims in meeting NAHCON’s financial deadlines. These interventions, often framed as loans or temporary advances, have in several instances enabled states to secure their full complement of pilgrimage slots and avoid forfeiture due to administrative or economic delays.
Critics of such interventions have sometimes argued that public funds should instead be directed toward basic services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. However, state officials generally defend the measures as tailored responses to specific circumstances that affect citizens’ ability to participate in a central religious obligation, particularly in communities where agriculture and informal trade dominate economic life.
As implementation of the 2026 Hajj programme proceeds, the Kebbi State Government’s clarification is likely to play a key role in shaping public discourse on the appropriate use of public resources for social support initiatives, particularly those tied to cultural and religious practices. The episode underscores the ongoing balancing act between governance responsiveness and fiscal prudence in Nigeria’s subnational administrations.
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