BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim: 600 Nigerian Hajj pilgrims absconded in Saudi Arabia.
Verdict: False. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has denied the claim.
Full Text:
A claim circulated on social media and some news outlets that 600 Nigerian pilgrims absconded during the 2024 lesser Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The claim was made by the former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani, in a tweet on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, 23rd August, raising concerns about the Saudi authorities tightening visa rules.
“Over 600 Nigerians who travelled to Saudia for lesser Hajj refused to return and this will compel the Saudi authorities to tighten their visa rules. Many of those who want to travel will likely be tossed,” Sani posted.
This sparked concerns about the well-being and safety of Nigerian pilgrims, restrictions on visas and raised questions about the oversight of religious travel.
Senator Sani’s claim comes days after President Bola Tinubu sacked the former Chairman of the Hajj Commission, Jalal Arabi, over alleged mismanagement and diversion of N90bn Hajj subsidy funds provided by the government.
The PUNCH reports that 51,477 pilgrims from Nigeria attended the recently concluded Hajj exercise in Jeddah and Mina, after paying a total of N6.9m to perform the religious exercise.
While it was reported that the inaugural flight for the 2024 Hajj exercise departed the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Kebbi with 422 pilgrims on May 15, 2024, the final return flight landed in Ilorin Kwara State, with 286 pilgrims on July 16, 2024. Senator Sani’s claim would imply that all 600 pilgrims have remained in Saudi Arabia for about six weeks since the end of the pilgrimage exercise.
Misinformation can create fear and distrust, particularly on sensitive topics like religion and travel. FactCheckAfrica is conducting this check to ensure accurate information is shared to help maintain public trust and prevent panic.
Verification:
FactCheckAfrica found that NAHCON, the body responsible for organizing Hajj for Nigerian pilgrims, has debunked the claim labeling them as completely baseless per multiple sources.
NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Fatima Usara, denied the claims, noting that neither the Saudi nor Nigerian authorities had a record of such persons. According to NAHCON’s spokesperson, all Nigerian pilgrims returned home as planned, and there was no record of any pilgrim absconding.
“We do not have such correspondence or information from Saudi Arabia, neither did we receive such information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Immigration Services of both countries.”
Conclusion:
The claim that 600 Nigerian Hajj pilgrims absconded in Saudi Arabia is false. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has assured the public that all pilgrims returned home.
