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August 20, 2022
A top source who was aware of the sharing confirmed to SaharaReporters that while sub-committee members got $100, committee members got $200.
The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has been accused of sharing N46million largesse extorted from the 2022 Hajj pilgrims.
SaharaReporters had in July reported that some Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia accused top officials of the Lagos State Government of forcing them to pay a higher amount for animal sacrifices called Hadaya.
The pilgrims were expected to pay for an animal sacrifice.
However, 555 Saudi Riyards was collected from each of the 1672 Pilgrims for rams but the board employed the service of a Saudi Arabia collaborator who was given 300 Saudi Riyards leaving a huge sum of N46million.
The incident was exposed by SaharaReporters based on complaints by disgruntled pilgrims, leading to near protest and subsequent press conference by the State commissioner for Home Affairs, Hanafiu Elegushi.
SaharaReporters gathered that in a bid to democratise the extortion, the Lagos Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board shared the extorted sum among its members.
A top source who was aware of the sharing confirmed to SaharaReporters that while sub-committee members got $100, committee members got $200.
“To prevent staff and members of the pilgrims board from further spilling the beans, the Chairman of the board decided to share the proceed of crimes, totaling about N46million with unsuspecting members of the board and staff. Each member of the 36 membered sub-committee was given $100.
“Each of the board members, 6 of them, got $200 each, while some of the regular staff of the board got between 100 and 200 Riyads,” the source said.
It was gathered that the beneficiaries were unaware of the source or total amount realised from the unauthorised extortion beyond the Board’s Chairman and the Commissioner, who authorised the collection.
After the extortion, many of the pilgrims extorted were deprived of the benefit of receiving or tasting their Hidayat meat as the standard practice.
The 2022 Nigeria pilgrimage was rocked with scandals by government officials which also led to the deportation of some pilgrims.
All efforts to get the Executive Secretary, Prince Hakeem Kosoko, to clear the air on this fraud perpetrated against the innocent and struggling pilgrims were abortive as at the time of filing this report.