Outrage has erupted over the alleged abandonment of Nigerian pilgrims from Adamawa State in Saudi Arabia, after a viral video showed dozens of them—many of them elderly—sleeping outdoors without accommodation despite reportedly paying over N8.3 million each for the 2025 Hajj exercise.
The distressed pilgrims, drawn from Yola North, Song, and Madagali Local Government Areas, were seen in the footage sitting helplessly beside their luggage in open spaces, lamenting what they described as total neglect by officials responsible for their welfare in the Holy Land.
Madagali, one of the affected areas, is the hometown of Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, a detail that has further intensified public scrutiny of the incident.
The pilgrims said they arrived in Saudi Arabia expecting hotel accommodation and logistical support as arranged under the official Hajj framework, but were instead left stranded for hours—later spending the night outdoors in mosquito-infested conditions.
“We have not seen Suleiman since we arrived here. They brought us here and abandoned us,” an elderly female pilgrim said in Hausa, clutching her travel bag.
Another visibly exhausted woman added: “We slept outside here. There are old people and sick people here. We have been waiting for hours but nobody is answering us.”
An elderly male pilgrim also expressed anger over the situation, questioning the handling of funds and logistics.
“We paid huge money for this Hajj. How can they leave old people outside like this in another country? This is disgraceful,” he said.
Another woman, speaking amid visible fatigue, lamented: “Like others, I slept outside where there are mosquitoes. Every time we ask about Suleiman, they tell us to wait, but we have not seen him since morning. No accommodation, no explanation.”
The pilgrims also alleged repeated efforts to reach a person identified only as “Suleiman,” reportedly responsible for accommodation and logistics for their group, but claimed he had since disappeared or become unreachable.
The development has once again raised concerns about the management of Hajj operations in Nigeria, particularly the role of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (National Hajj Commission of Nigeria), which oversees pilgrimage arrangements, including accommodation and transportation in Saudi Arabia.
Each pilgrim from the Borno/Adamawa contingent reportedly paid about N8,327,125.59 for the pilgrimage, according to official fare templates earlier released by NAHCON.
The incident has triggered renewed criticism of Nigeria’s Hajj management system, which has long faced allegations of poor coordination, alleged corruption, and substandard logistics affecting vulnerable pilgrims.
In recent years, the commission has repeatedly come under scrutiny over accommodation contracts, feeding arrangements, and transportation services for Nigerian pilgrims, with stakeholders calling for greater transparency and accountability.
A 2025 internal controversy within NAHCON also saw allegations of irregularities in contract awards and operational management, though the commission has at different times denied claims of corruption or financial misconduct.
As the latest video continues to circulate widely on social media, families of affected pilgrims and concerned Nigerians are demanding urgent intervention to ensure proper accommodation and welfare support for stranded worshippers.
So far, neither NAHCON nor relevant Adamawa State pilgrimage officials have issued a comprehensive public clarification on the condition of the affected pilgrims or the alleged lapses in accommodation arrangements.
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