The Kebbi State Government has rejected claims by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) alleging the diversion of a ₦10 billion intervention fund meant for intending pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj, describing the allegations as misleading and lacking full context.

The government clarified that the funds were not a grant or sponsorship but a temporary and fully recoverable financial intervention designed to protect Kebbi pilgrims from losing their Hajj slots.

Speaking at a press conference in Birnin Kebbi, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed, explained that the amount was advanced through the Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency as a short-term loan.

“The ₦10 billion intervention was not a sponsorship or a grant. It was a short-term loan advanced to enable intending pilgrims meet the deadline set by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON),” Ahmed said.

He disclosed that NAHCON had fixed December 5, 2025 as the nationwide deadline for full payment, but as of that date, only about 2,000 pilgrims from Kebbi State had completed their payments.

According to him, approximately 1,300 intending pilgrims were at risk of losing their Hajj slots due to incomplete payments, prompting the state government to intervene.

“To prevent our pilgrims from losing their slots, the state government approved a temporary financial intervention on the clear understanding that the money would be fully repaid within two weeks once the affected pilgrims completed their payments,” he explained.

The Commissioner further stated that the loan was fully repaid within days.

“By December 16, 2025, just eleven days after the intervention, the entire ₦10 billion had been repaid in full and returned to government coffers. There was no loss of public funds whatsoever,” Ahmed said.

He added that bank statements and agency records are available for public verification to confirm both the disbursement date and the repayment date.

Ahmed noted that the intervention was informed by the socioeconomic realities of the affected pilgrims, many of whom are farmers and traders awaiting proceeds from late November and early December harvests and commercial activities.

“The temporary challenge faced by the pilgrims was a matter of timing, not inability to pay,” he stated.

As a result of the intervention, the Commissioner revealed that Kebbi State now has 3,629 fully paid pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj, placing the state second nationally.

“Kebbi State is now ranked second in the country and has been included among the first batch of states to be airlifted at the commencement of Hajj operations,” Ahmed said.

The state government also dismissed claims that the intervention came at the expense of critical sectors such as health and infrastructure.

According to the Commissioner, several hospitals, including tertiary health facilities, have been constructed, rehabilitated, or are currently undergoing rehabilitation, alongside numerous primary healthcare centres across the state.

While acknowledging the role of civil society organisations in promoting accountability, the Kebbi State Government urged MURIC to verify facts before making public statements.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, responsible governance, and the welfare of the people of Kebbi State.