Hajj 2025: 15 Kwara pilgrims lose $7,500 BTA to ‘fraudsters’ in Madinah

Fifteen Nigerian pilgrims from Kwara state were reportedly defrauded of their $500 basic travel allowance (BTA) while on pilgrimage in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

According to Ismail Yahaya, the Kwara state Amiru hajj and Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, the victims, mostly Fulani pilgrims, fell prey to suspected currency fraudsters who targeted them with deceptive money exchanges.

Yahaya said the fraudsters swapped $100 bills with $1 bills while pretending to assist the unsuspecting pilgrims in converting their dollars into Saudi riyals.

A viral video had earlier drawn attention to the incident, prompting immediate action from the Kwara state government.

In the clip, some pilgrims claimed they were shortchanged even before leaving Nigeria, alleging that they received only five dollars instead of the expected $500.

“They alleged that right from home at the General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport in Ilorin, they were given a dollar in five places as opposed to 100 dollars in five places,” the Kwara Amirul hajj said.

“One of them alleged that the board, through its accounting department, gave them five dollars instead of 500 dollars.

“I make bold to say this allegation is far from the truth, because the same process that every pilgrim passed through is the same process that I personally experienced, being the Amir of the hajj.

“Our investigation revealed that some of our Fulani pilgrims were defrauded in Madinah, particularly those who came with the first flight.

“Up to this hour, only 15 have been identified. And on the directive of the governor, we have refunded $500 to each of these 15 pilgrims.”

Yahaya explained that all BTA disbursements were conducted in the presence of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), who closely monitored the process to prevent malpractices.

He added that each pilgrim received $100 in five notes, counted and confirmed publicly under strict scrutiny.

Despite these measures, Yahaya confirmed that 15 pilgrims were swindled—though after the official disbursement and while already in Saudi Arabia.

KWARA GOVERNOR MAKES DONATION

Yahaya also noted that AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the governor of Kwara, supported the state contingent with 264,280 riyals during an unscheduled visit to state pilgrims’ residences in Makkah.

“Surprisingly, the executive governor of Kwara state paid an unscheduled visit to Kwara pilgrims,” he said.

“In fact, the day he visited us, I spoke with him up till early morning that day, and he didn’t give any indication he would be coming to visit us.

“He came to check on us, to know how we were faring. And I took him around the journey so far.

“That same day, he gave me his words that he would be willing to give to each pilgrim from Kwara state a total of 120 riyals per head; this we have done to give a total of 120 riyals to each pilgrim from Kwara state numbering 2,204.”