The Kwara State Government and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have clashed over the delayed return of the state’s pilgrims from the 2025 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.
The PDP, in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, described the situation as a “national embarrassment” and accused the state government of abandoning its contingents in Mecca.
However, the government swiftly debunked the claims, dismissing them as false, politically motivated, and harmful to public trust.
Speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP alleged that Kwara pilgrims had remained stranded in Saudi Arabia, even as pilgrims from other states who arrived later had already begun returning home.
“This development not only endangers the mental well-being of the pilgrims but puts the image of our state in the global spotlight for the wrong reasons,” Adewara said.
The opposition party urged traditional rulers, Islamic leaders, lawmakers, and civil society organisations to intervene and demand transparency and accountability from the state government.
Reacting to the accusations, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, dismissed the PDP’s claims as “mischievous” and “irresponsible,” insisting that no Kwara pilgrim was stranded.
According to Ajakaye, the airlift of pilgrims back to Nigeria is being coordinated by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), not by the state government. He disclosed that Kwara has 2,204 pilgrims this year — one of the largest contingents in the country — and their return is scheduled in four batches between June 21 and June 27.
“As of June 17, only a fraction of Nigeria’s 41,000 pilgrims have been airlifted back. The return dates for Kwara pilgrims have not even begun, so it is misleading to claim anyone is stranded,” Ajakaye said.
He accused the PDP of attempting to score cheap political points by spreading what he called “fake news,” warning that such actions could erode public confidence and attract consequences.
“If purveyors of fake news know they will be held accountable, they might think twice before misleading the public,” he added.
The 2025 Hajj exercise, overseen nationally by NAHCON, has seen logistical challenges in the airlift of pilgrims back to Nigeria, prompting concerns from several quarters. However, officials insist that the process is ongoing and on schedule.
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