The Kebbi State Government has dismissed claims that it diverted public funds to sponsor Hajj pilgrims, clarifying that the N10 billion cited by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) was a short-term, recoverable loan advanced to intending pilgrims to meet a payment deadline set by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Speaking at a press briefing in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed, said the funds were disbursed through the state’s Pilgrims Welfare Agency and fully refunded to government coffers within 11 days.
Ahmed explained that NAHCON fixed December 5, 2025, as the deadline for full payment for the 2026 Hajj. By that date, only about 2,000 Kebbi pilgrims had completed payment, while roughly 1,300 others had made partial deposits.
He said the temporary intervention was designed to prevent the state from losing its allocated Hajj slots, noting that many of the affected pilgrims are seasonal farmers and traders who depend on late-year harvests and market returns to complete payments.
“Many of them could not meet the deadline due to the nature of their livelihoods,” Ahmed said, adding that the loan served as a liquidity bridge rather than a subsidy or sponsorship.
According to the commissioner, the full N10 billion was repaid by December 16, 2025, with bank and agency records available to substantiate the transaction.
He disclosed that the intervention raised Kebbi’s number of fully paid pilgrims to 3,629, placing the state second nationwide and among the earliest approved for airlift in the 2026 Hajj operations.
Responding to criticism that the move reflected misplaced priorities, Ahmed said the arrangement had no impact on the state’s investments in healthcare or other social services, insisting that no public funds were permanently committed to the exercise.
MURIC had earlier questioned the propriety of using public resources for Hajj-related financing, warning that it could divert funds from critical sectors and set an unhealthy precedent.
The Kebbi government urged advocacy groups and commentators to verify facts before making public claims, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent financial management.