Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A group of elderly Nigerian pilgrims from Adamawa State have been left stranded in Saudi Arabia without proper accommodation, forcing them to sleep on the streets and battle mosquito bites after each reportedly paid over N8.3 million for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage. A viral video that surfaced on May 14, 2026, showed dozens of distressed pilgrims, mostly elderly men and women, sitting on their luggage outside in the holy city, complaining that they had been abandoned by officials responsible for their welfare.
The pilgrims were identified as coming from Yola North, Song and Madagali local government areas of Adamawa State. Madagali is the hometown of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. According to the official Hajj fare breakdown released by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in January 2025, pilgrims from the Borno/Adamawa zone were required to pay approximately N8,327,125.59 each, excluding personal spending and unofficial expenses that many families incurred before departure. Despite this hefty sum, the pilgrims claimed that upon arrival, there was no hotel space and no logistical arrangements in place.
In the footage, confusion and frustration were evident as stranded pilgrims sat helplessly beside their luggage, with some claiming they had spent over 24 hours waiting for officials responsible for their accommodation. One elderly woman said in Hausa while clutching her bag: “We have not seen Suleiman since we arrived here. They brought us here and abandoned us”. Another exhausted female pilgrim lamented: “We slept outside here. We have old people here, sick people here. We have been waiting for hours but nobody is answering us”.
An elderly man expressed anger over the situation, saying: “We paid huge money for this Hajj. How can they leave old people outside like this in another country? This is disgraceful”. A third woman, who appeared exhausted, added: “Like other pilgrims, I slept outside here where there are mosquitoes. Whenever we ask about Suleiman, they tell us to wait. But since morning we have not seen him. No accommodation, no explanation”.
The incident has sparked outrage among Nigerians, many of whom question how such conditions could occur despite the huge sums paid for the spiritual journey. The development has thrown the spotlight on Nigeria’s controversial Hajj management system, which has long been dogged by allegations of corruption, racketeering, poor accommodation deals and mismanagement of pilgrims’ funds. Over the years, several controversies have trailed Hajj operations in Nigeria, particularly around accommodation contracts, feeding, transportation and allocation of pilgrimage slots. In 2025, a commissioner with NAHCON publicly alleged that corruption was rampant in Nigerian Hajj operations, specifically accusing insiders of conducting shady hotel accommodation and transportation deals in secrecy.
Past allegations have also linked Hajj operations to inflated contracts and internal crises within the commission, although some accusations were denied or dismissed for lack of evidence. The latest Adamawa pilgrims’ ordeal is already fuelling fresh questions about how billions of naira paid by desperate worshippers are being managed while vulnerable pilgrims, many of them aged citizens, allegedly end up stranded in a foreign land during one of Islam’s holiest rites. As reactions continue to pour in, many Nigerians are calling for an immediate investigation and urgent intervention to ensure the safety and dignity of the affected pilgrims.
At the time of filing this report, NAHCON had not issued an official statement addressing the specific grievances of the Adamawa pilgrims. The Adamawa State Government also remained silent. Meanwhile, the viral video continues to circulate on social media, amplifying the anger of Nigerian Muslims who feel betrayed by the system they trusted with their life savings.
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